Oldies Movie Review - Manhattan

Director: Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 1979
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Mariel Hemingway, Michael Murphy, Anne Byrne Hoffman   
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 43: A MOVIE WITH A RATING HIGHER THAN 8 ON IMDB
 
Description: The life of a divorced television writer (Woody Allen) dating a teenage girl (Mariel Hemingway) is further complicated when he falls in love with his best friend’s mistress (Diane Keaton)

Review: Some of Woody Allen’s work I really love: “Scoop” was fun, “Annie Hall” is one of his best and “Midnight in Paris” is my absolute favorite. “Manhattan” is probably considered his best, but I don’t really get that.

Most of Allen’s movies are just a bunch of people talking about everyday life. And the city it’s set in it often a very important element of the story. In most of his early work that’s New York, here focusing on Manhattan. And although I always enjoy the funny dialogue Allen writes, there are some elements in this movie that I found troubling.

People are actually okay with a 43-year-old man dating a 17-year-old girl. One character even says 17 isn’t to young. And this girl, Tracy, is totally mesmerized by this man, Woody Allen’s Isaac. Which I don’t understand either, because Isaac is not that special (and he has his fair share of relationships with pretty women). With that, we are supposed to be rooting for characters committing adultery. Isaac’s friend is cheating on his wife and Isaac cheats on Tracy with that same woman. I know it’s a fictional story, but with movies like this you are supposed to sympathize with the main character. I simply couldn’t.

Because I loved the dialogue and the setting, and the way Allen shows his love for New York, I still think it’s an okay film. But there were too many red flags for me.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers

Title: All Good People Here
Series: -
Author: Ashley Flowers
 
Description: Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana, remembers the case of January Jacobs, who was found dead in a ditch hours after her family awoke to find her gone. Margot Davies was six at the time, the same age as January – and they were next door neighbors. In the twenty years since, Margot has grown up, moved away, and become a big-city journalist, but she’s always been haunted by the fear that it could’ve been her. And the worst part is, January’s killer has never been brought to justice.
 
When Margot returns home to help care for her sick uncle, it feels like walking into a time capsule. Wakarus is exactly how she remembered: genial, stifled, secretive. The news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who’s gone missing under eerily similar circumstances. With all the old feelings rushing back, Margot vows to find Natalie and solve January’s murder once and for all.
 
But the police, the family, the townspeople, they all seem to be hiding something. And the deeper Margot digs into Natalie’s disappearance, the more resistance she encounters, and the colder January’s case feels. Could the killer still be out there? Could ut be the same person who kidnapped Natalie? And what will it cost to finally discover what truly happened that night?
 
Review: “All Good People Here” is Ashley Flowers’ debut novel and a good one. Set in a small town, following dual timelines, a journalist digging into a cold case that has been haunting her since it happened. All elements I love in a thriller.
 
The heart of the boo is the case of January Jacobs, a case that the family and the town could never let go. And the same goes for Margot. She has left her town, but when she returns, everything feels exactly the same. And the murder of January starts to become a part of her life again. And this time, Margot wants to find out what really happened and who did this to January.
 
The case is very reminiscent of the real-life case of JonBenét Ramsey, from 1996, which is still unsolved. If this case intrugues you, “All Good People Here” might be a good read for you.
 
The book has many reveals and some plot twist, most of them very surprising and unpredictable. And I really loved that ending. What a great debut for Ashley Flowers.
 
Rating: 4, 5/ 5

Movie Review - Totally Killer

Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Genre: Comedy/ Horror
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Charlie Gillespie, Lochlyn Munro, Troy Leigh-Ann Johnson, Liana Liberato, Julie Bowen, Randall Park, Jonathan Potts  
 
Description: When the infamous “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns 35 years after his first murder spree to claim another victim, 17-year-old Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) accidentally travels back in time to 1987, determined to stop the killer before he can start.

Review: In a small American town, three teenage girls were murdered. Now, thirty-five years later, the killer suddenly turns up to kill Jamie’s mother. Jamie’s friend has just build a time machine, allowing her to travel back to the day the first girl was murdered in 1987.

“Totally Killer” is not a parody of old slasher films, but it is self-aware. I really liked the time-travel element in this film. Although this can be tricky, with logics and plot holes and such, “Totally Killer” does a pretty good job to keep it simple and not make you to worried about those logics.

The film combines horror with comedy, but it’s a but out of balance. It’s more a comedy.

I had a really good time watching “Totally Killer”. Loved the 80s vibes, the time travel element in the slasher genre and I really liked the main character Jamie. Fun times.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

Title: Kill Joy
Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (# 0.5)
Author: Holly Jackson
 
Description: Pippa Fitz-Amobi is not in the mood for ther friend’s murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920s fancy dress and pretending that their town, Little Kilton, is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder.
 
But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn’t the only case on her mind.
 
Find out where it all began for Pip.
 
Review: The “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” trilogy is a favorite series of mine, even though I’m not much of a series reader. “Kill Joy” is a prequel to this book series, telling the story of how Pip got her love for crime solving, finding out she is actually really good at it.
 
Pip is invited to a murder mystery party, which is set in the 1920s and revolves around the rich man Reginald Remy. Each of her friends have been given a role and one of them is a killer.
 
I cannot get enough Pip, I love her. Picking up this prequel felt like a no-brainer and I read it almost in one sitting. Because this story is set before the original trilogy, we will not be reading about Pip solving a real crime, but a fictional one. But that doesn’t make it less fun. You’re still invested and really want to know who did it. As Pip gets clues to her role and her friend’s characters as well, we tag along in this fun whodunnit. Like Pip, you’re totally immersed in the game.
 
“Kill Joy” is a fun and original idea for a prequel to such a popular series. And to find out how Pip got to be who she eventually became in “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. It doesn’t have as much tension and excitement as the other books, because the stakes are not as high, but still “Kill Joy” is such an enjoyable read.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

Title: Hex
Series: Robert Grim # 1
Author: Thomas Olde Heuvelt
 
Description: Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay ‘til death. Whoever settles, never leaves.
 
Welcome to Beek, the seemingly picturesque Dutch town haunted by the Wyler witch , a seventeenth century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Muzzled, she walks the streets and enters homes at will. She stands next to children’s bed for nights on end. everybody knows that her eyes may never be opened or the consequences will be too terrible to bear.
 
The elders of Beek have virtually quarantined the town by using high-tech surveillance to prevent their curse from spreading. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town’s teenagers decide to break their strict regulations and go viral with the haunting. But, in so doing, they send the town spiraling into dark, medieval practices of the distant past.
 
Review: Thomas Olde Heuvelt wrote the book back in 2013, but experienced a big breakthrough in America by releasing it in English.
 
The small town of Beek seems to outsiders a very quiet town, but appearance can be deceiving. Ever since the seventeenth century, a very special inhabitant has lived among the towns people and everything is done to hide her from outsiders. The Wyler witch, as this woman is called, has the entire village in her power. The people fear for their lives when they rebel against her, and to limit her powers, her eyes and mouth are sewn shut. All the villagers know that it is in everyone’s interest that these should never be opened. When one day a group of young people decide to make the witch known on the internet, it has great consequences for everyone who lives in Beek.
 
“Hex” is a mix of thriller, mystery and fantasy and contains elements from both the seventeenth and twenty-first century. This makes the book very original. The setting of a small town always works in a book like this. “Hex” is a genuinely creepy and scary book, that gave me a few sleepless nights.
 
The book is structured in two parts. In part one, we get to know the village and its inhabitant better. In the second part, the consequences of the actions of the teenage villagers become clear.  
 
The ending left me speechless, I loved the ending. It’s not a happy one, which fit this story perfectly. Stephen King has a love for this book and I totally understand why. It has some slower moments, which made it that I couldn’t give the book a perfect score, but it’s a book I would recommend to horror fans.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Title: Salem’s Lot
Series: -
Author: Stephen King
 
Description: Writer Ben Mears has returned to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot with the hope that moving into a dilapidated mansion, long the subject of town lore, might help him get a handle on his life and provide inspiration for a new book. But when two young boys venture into the woods and only one comes out alive, Mears begins to realize that there may be something sinister at work.
In time, he comes to understand that his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his wildest imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is tearing the town apart.
 
Review: “Salem’s Lot” is undoubtedly one of the works that has put Stephen King on the map, and rightly so. It contains all the ingredients that set King apart from the masses. King really is a master in setting up a story, by telling you in detail about the town it’s set in and the people that live there. This way the town and the inhabitants really come to life.
 
King was inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, and he gives it a nice, modern twist without losing its power. And it’s a horror book, with some real creepy moments. But it’s not King at his scariest.
 
Because the first 40 percent of the book was basically the story’s set-up, “Salem’s Lot” is a slow burn and not a lot happens at that point. But ones strange things start to happen, this book is un-put-downable. I wouldn’t call it a page-turned, it’s too slow for that, but you do want to keep reading and you’re sucked into the story. “Salem’s Lot” is one of my favorite King books I have read so far, although you have to be patient before it really gets going. Worth the wait though.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - 1922

Director: Zak Hilditch
Genre: Drama/ Horror/ Crime
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Thomas Jane, Molly Parker, Dylan Schmidt, Brian D’Arcy James

Description: A simple yet proud farmer (Thomas Jane) in the year 1922 conspires to murder his wife (Molly Parker) for financial gain, convincing his teenage son (Dylan Schmidt) to assist. But their actions have unintended consequences.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 42: A MOVIE BASED ON A STEPHEN KING NOVEL
 
Review: Stephen King is probably the author with the most book to movie adaptations on his name. “1922” is based on a novella King wrote in 2010, where we follow Wilfred James, an American farmer. His wife no longer wants to live in the country and is determined to sell her share of their land and move to the city. Wilfred sees no other way out bu to murder his wife and convince his son to help him. Soon after the murder, his life slowly falls apart.

A slow burn, which King is known for. The film looks stylish and has some really creepy moments. It’s not a very surprising movie, but grabs you enough to stay tuned.

Rating: 3/ 5

TV Show Review - Daisy Jones & the Six

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Drama/ Music/ Romance
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2023
Starring: Riley Keogh, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, Sebastian Chacon, Nabiyah Be, Tom Wright, Timothy Olyphant

Description: Following the rise of rock band Daisy Jones and the Six through the 1970s Los Angeles music on their quest for worldwide icon status.

Review: Based on the book of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid, “Daisy Jones & the Six” focuses on the rise and fall of a rock band in 1970s Los Angeles. The book is an absolute favorite of mine and I was so happy to see it come to life. The book is still better, but I highly enjoyed the TV series.  

The book is in interview form, the series is set up as a retrospective documentary. While being interviewed, the band looks back at how they started. The setting is amazing, the sound, the wardrobe, the hair, the vibes, it’s aals present. The band is somewhat modeled after Fleetwood Mac, around the time they made their album “Rumours”. The serie’s “Rumours” is called “Aurora”.

Riley Keough and Sam Claflin play the two lead singers of the band, Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne. They both portray their respective roles wonderfully. Claflin is charismatic, the cool rock star with a sensitive edge. But Daisy Jones is really the magnetic centerpiece here. Keigh, who is Elvis Presley’s eldest granddaughter and daughter of Lisa Marie Presley. She is a joy the watch. Daisy Jones is confident, independent, strong, but also fragile and a little broken. And both of them have a great voice.
As many book to movie/ TV series adaptations, there are a lot of differences. I really liked how Camila, Billy’s wife, got a more prominent role and she was actually one of my favorite characters. In the book she wasn’t. I also enjoyed Simone’s story, how they added that in the show. She played an important role in Daisy’s life in the book as well, but they give her more to do in the TV series.

What I didn’t like was the role of Karen. Pianist Karen was my favorite character in the book. A woman who knows what she wants, trying to keep her head above water in a man’s world, constantly having to prove her worth and fighting for her place in the music world. I love how confident she was I the book, how Karen said it like she saw it and she was never inferior to the men. Karen disappeared a bit into the background, her as a band member and woman. The show does focus on her relationship with fellow band member Graham, Billy’s brother. And that’s fine. But I wanted more of the person Karen. We hardly get to know her here.

The thing that bothered me the most was the “The Six” didn’t have six band members. Pete, a character in the book, is not in the series. They simply count Camila as their sixth band member. But I really hated that. Pete didn’t have a huge role in the book, he was barely in it. But calling a band with five band members “The Six” is pretty lame.

Because it’s a story about a band, there needs to be music. And Taylor Jenkins Reid did a great job describing all the songs on the album “Aurora”, what their vibe is, their meaning, what you’re supposed to feel, what they represent. We were finally going to hear the songs. And “Aurora” is an actual album which you can listen to on Spotify. “Look at Us Now (Honeycomb)” is definitely the song with the biggest impact.

Despite the series having two changes I hated, I did really love this show. And listening to the album, makes the book even better.

Movie Review - Heart of Stone

Director: Tom Harper
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt, Jing Lusi, Paul Ready, Enzo Cilenti, Sophie Okonedo, Matthias Schweighöfer, BD Wong, Glenn Close
 
Description: An intelligence operative (Gal Gadot) for a shadowy global peacekeeping agency races to stop a hacker from stealing its most valuable and dangerous weapon.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 41: A NETFLIX ORIGINAL MOVIE
 
Review: Rachel is part of a small spy team, but secretly of a larger secret organization created to keep global peace. That organization uses the most powerful software in the world, so whoever controls it is basically the supreme world leaders. Someone has discovered that and is going to try to steal that power.

The film opens with an action sequence in which an arms dealer in hiding must be captured. Rachel is the computer wizard of this small theme, her team members not knowing yet that she is part of a larger organization where she does way more than just hack a computer.

The title is supposed to make sense, but Rachel’s last name is Stone and she works for Heart. So Stone of Heart would have been more accurate. But that’s just nitpicking. The overall film is really just so-so. Which is not the fault of Gal Gadot. She is an extremely skilled actress, very good as an action hero as well. The script is the real problem. Is uninspired. It feels like a lame rip-off of the “Mission: Impossible” movie series. The film tries to add some twists, but you at that point, you really don’t care anymore. Zero surprises.

Jamie Dornan is also not that great. I never really liked him as an actor, but he impressed me in “Belfast” and managed to portray a very convincing villain in the TV-series “The Fall”. Here, he is just as uninspiring as the script. I did like Alia Bhatt. Her character still has some conflict with a bit of layering, and she conveys it well.

I don’t think you’re missing out if you don’t watch “Heart of Stone”. Mediocre action flick that lacks inspiration.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Book Review - Whispering Pines by Heidi Lang and Kati Bartkowski

Title: Whispering Pines
Series: Whispering Pines # 1
Author: Heidi Lang, Kati Bartkowski
 
Description: Rae’s father vanished without a trace and she knows what happened to him. But no one believes her when she says that her father didn’t run off, that he was actually taken. Now, a year of therapy later, Rae’s mother decides they need a fresh start and so they move to a new town that life can return to normal.
 
The problem is, there is nothing normal about the town of Whispering Pines.
 
No one knows this better than Caden. He’s lived in Whispering Pines his entire life, and he’s seen more than his fair share of weird. Starting with his own family, as the town is the perfect home base for his mother’s ghost hunting business.
 
When several kids go missing and then show up like zombies with their eyes removed, many locals brush it off. Just another day in Whispering Pines. But Caden has a dark secret, one that may explain why someone is stealing eyes. And Rae, who knows how it feels to not be believed, may just be the person Caden needs to help him put things right.
 
Review: I read this book for the “Upside Down Readathon” which is a “Stranger Things”-themed readathon. This book was the buddy read for one of the hosts, Liv. Otherwise I would’ve never picked this up. It’s a spooky middle grade and I’m glad Liv choose this as her buddy read.
 
Spooky middle grades are definitely a subgenre that I really enjoy. I’m definitely not the age demographic, but I just love getting lost in these books. And it was the perfect pick for a “Stranger Things”-themed readathon. It had all the vibes, lots of similarities and has elements that I also love about the series. It’s set in a small town, unexplainable things keep happening, missing kids, a secret lab, the supernatural and people with certain powers.
 
When I think about middle grade, I think of 8 to 12 year old kids. This book is definitely on the dark and more scarier side. So if you want your kid to read this, or you are that kid that wants to read it, be aware it has some very bloody and creepy moments.
 
The book has a great, spooky atmosphere, also die to the small town setting. The two main characters, Rae and Caden, are both well-developed and interesting characters. They both deal with the loss of someone dear and find a connection. The mystery is strong and kept me guessing until the end, with a great reveal right at the very end. “Whispering Pines” is also very fast paced and easy to read. The first book in a series that I will definitely be continuing.  
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - After Dark with Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis

Title: After Dark with Roxie Clark
Series: -
Author: Brooke Lauren Davis
 
Description: Roxie Clark has seen more dead bodies than your average seventeen-year-old. As a member of the supposedly-cursed Clark family, most of her ancestors have met tragic ends, including her own mother. Instead of fearing the curse, however, Roxie has combined her flair for performance and her gruesome family history into a successful ghost tour. But her tour never covers the most recent body she’s seen: her sister Skylar’s boyfriend, Colin Riley, found murdered in a cornfield.
 
A year after the murder, Roxie’s desperate to help Skylar find closure and start to heal. Instead, Skylar becomes fixated on finding the killer. As the sisters dig into what really happened, they discover that more than one person has been lying about the night. And the closer they get to the truth, the more Roxie starts to wonder if some scary stories might be better left untold.
 
Review: In “After Dark with Roxie Clark” we meet Roxie, a goth-girl who has her own gost tours. Here she tells her own tragic family history, using a bit of extra horror, drama and flair to spice it up a bit. Roxie has always had a fascination for horror and Halloween is her favorite holiday. Because of this, many teens at her school think she is weird or are scared of her. I liked Roxie immediately
 
After her sister Skylar’s boyfriend is found dead, Roxie hates to see her sister in tears and sorrow. Together they want to try and find the person who did it and they find out that more than one person has been lying about that faithful night.
 
How much I loved the characters of Roxie, that’s also how much I hated her sister Skylar. Being in her grief and her obsession to find out what happened to her boyfriend Colin, Skylar doesn’t really care about who she hurts. I hated the fact that a grieving teenager turned into this unlikeable brat.  
 
The mystery is interesting enough to keep reading, but it’s not extremely surprising. And the ending felt flat for me. It still is a pretty solid YA-mystery thriller.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - Magic in the Moonlight

Director: Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Marcia Gay Harden, Simon McBurney, Hamish Linklater

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 40: A MOVIE WITH YOUR FAVORITE ACTRESS/ ACTOR
 
Description: A romantic comedy about an Englishman (Colin Firth) brought in to help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.

Review: Woody Allen is most often either a hit or miss for me. “Magic in the Moonlight” falls somewhere in between.

This movie follows Stanley, a British illusionist, who is given the task to unmask the medium Sophie. Stanley himself is a master of deceit, since in his act he performs as an Asian man. He seems the perfect man to pierce through Sophie’s scheme. Sophie knows from the start Stanely is skeptic about her job, but he can also not resist her charm.  

Nothing really happens in this movie. It is for Emma Stone and Colin Firth that it works. Although they don’t always seem to be believable as love interests. It’s a tale of opposites attract that has been done some many times and so much better.

“Magic in the Moonlight” is not a movie I would remember for long.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 24

I decided to rewatch my 100 favorite movies of all-time. What those are, you can check HERE. I watch them in random order, there is no rhyme or reason there, just watching those movies I love so much.
 

78/ 100: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Spaceman Peter Quill is a ravenger, stealing from people in order to sell it. Together with mercenary Gamorra, Drax the Destroyer, tree-creature Groot and Rocket the talking raccoon, he forms the superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy. When I first saw it, I didn’t know what to expect and I fell in love with this quirky group right away. In my opinion it’s the best Marvel movie ever made. HERE is my full review.
 
 

79/ 100: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
In the sequel to “Guardians of the Galaxy”, everything is bigger, brighter, bolder and funnier. And I love it. I know it’s not the best film, in my eyes the Guardians can’t do wrong. I love how Groot is regrowing and is now a tiny baby Groot. The connection between Gamorra and Peter is growing and ne characters are added in the form of Mantis and Ego. You can check out my full review HERE.
 

80/ 100: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Director James Gunn concludes his trilogy about Marvel’s wachiest superhero team with dignity with this film that zooms in on the story of Rocket ( my favorite Guardian AND my favorite Marvel character ever). The story is surprisingly grim and emotional, if you don’t cry you’re dead inside. With a running time of two and a half hours, the film goes by in a flash. With this conclusion, in my eyes, James Gunn has created a perfect trilogy. HERE is my full review.
 
Still to watch: 20