Book Review - Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Title: Bird Box (Bird Box # 1)
Author: Josh Malerman
Genre: Horror/ Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2014
 
Description: Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.
 
Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl ar four, it’s time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat – blindfolded – with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?
 
Review: Malorie takes care of her two children. Unlike normal, they have to be dead quiet and are never allowed outside. The windows are covered and the curtains are always closed. It all started with vague news stories on television. People ignored reports of madness because it was happening far from their homes. But it comes closer. And all television went black, the radio went silent and the internet was down. And the outside was no longer safe. All Malorie knows is that, whatever it is outside, it must never be seen. Because opening your eyes will kill you.
 
I saw the film a few years ago. It was fine, enjoyed it, never thought it was very scary. At the time of viewing I didn’t know it was based on a book, let alone written by Josh Malerman. I had never read from Malerman before, I thought this would be the perfect book to start with. And I’m so glad I read it.
 
The book is so much scarier, it gets under your skin and keeps you on edge. The story captivated me. You know just as much as the characters, you have no clue what they are actually afraid of that is out there.
 
The story alternates between the beginning of this apocalypse and the present day where Malorie and her two children are fleeing their home for safety. I can understand why people define this as one of the scariest book they’ve read. I could feel the suspense constantly, because they don’t know what they fear. Like a classic horror rule is, that it’s the things you don’t see that scare you the most.
 
I was only a bit disappointed by the ending. I expected more from this. But overall, “Bird Box” is an amazingly suspenseful horror novel, that I could recommend to any horror fan.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Monkey Man

Director: Dev Patel
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copely, Pitobash, Sikandir Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 41: A FILM THAT’S PART OF A FILM FESTIVAL’S OFFICIAL SELECTION
 
Description: An anonymous young man (Dev Patel) unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimize the poor and powerless.

Review: The directorial debut of Dev Patel, who obviously already has a number of gems to his name as an actor, opts for a surprising genre: the action film. Patel hasn’t kicked a lot of ass in his films yet, but if anything becomes clear, it’s that he can do it very well. A film that doesn’t hide its inspiration without becoming a copycat. Incredibly brutal action mixed with plenty of personality and sentiment.

“Monkey Man” follows the story of an anonymous young man sometimes called Kid. In the slums of India, he makes money  with street fights. He gets a job at a loca restaurant, where shady things happen behind the scenes. He is out for revenge on various figures in positions of power who have personally made his life miserable in the past.

The story is simple, yet effective. Its build-up and sufficient sentiment set it apart from other action films. The pace and flow of the film are perfectly matched.

The inspirations are obvious and Patel doesn’t try to hide them either. He is clearly a fan of films like “John Wick”, “The Raid” and “Oldboy”. “Monkey Man” excels in its action scenes. They are gruesome, raw and hugely original. The choreography is thoughtful and fast-paced.

The only downside is the somewhat messy second half. But as a whole, the film is stylish, exciting and rock solid. Well done Dev Patel.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Crazy Heart

Director: Scott Cooper
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Music
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Robert DuVall, Paul Herman

Description: A faled country music artist (Jeff Bridges) is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 40: A FILM ABOUT MUSIC
 
Review: Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake, a middle-aged country singer reveling in his past success. Years ago he was one of the most successful singers of his generation with an impressive repertoire, but now he is but a shadow of himself. He lives in cheap motels, playing in pubs and bowling alleys, drinking a lot of alcohol. At one of his gigs he meets Jean Braddock, a single mother trying to make it as a journalist. A romance develops between Blake and Jean, but it remains to be seen whether Blake can leave his unhealthy lifestyle behind for good.  

It's a pretty straightforward film, with not too surprising plot developments. A once successful music artists, trying to make a comeback but failing drastically, until someone enters his life and changes it for the better. Director Scott Cooper didn’t take any risks here. “Crazy Heart” is one of those films where the performance of the lead actor is better and more memorable as the film itself. Jeff Bridges, who won an Academy Awards for his performance, is excellent. He shines in every scene he is in. This is what you will remember about “Crazy Heart”, the story is quite forgettable.

Which doesn’t mean it’s not good. Bridges is the one who makes it better, if not for him, this would be a straight-to-DVD type of film. Because they story is predictable and very cliché. But Bridges lifts it to a whole other level and makes it worth watching. And somehow, Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal work really well together too.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Book Review - Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Title: Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
Author: Benjamin Stevenson
Genre: Mystery/ Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2022
 
Description: Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate.
 
I’m Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I’d killed whoever decided our family reuinion should be at a ski resort, but it’s a little more complicated than that.
 
Have I killed someone? Yes. I Have.
 
Who was it?
 
Let’s get started.
 
Review: What a clever book! Ernest Cummingham tells us right from the start that, like the title, everyone in his family has killed someone. Including himself. Who they were and why they did it, remains unknown. The Cunningham family is coming together for a reunion in a ski resort, when one of the members of the family is being released from prison. And while they are there, a dead body turns up. And everyone is a suspect.
 
It's a whodunnit, but not the way you’re used to. Ernest talks to you, the reader, directly and sort of breaks the fourth wall, like they say in the movies. He involves you in his story, as if you’re there yourself. The book is very self-aware and does some real interesting things with the narrative. Often Ernest refers to an event that hasn’t happened yet, stating on what page you will be reading about it. Or he gives you a recap of the story so far or sums up his findings. The way the story is told is what will make or break this book for you. I loved it, but I can understand people who don’t enjoy this narrative.
 
The book keeps you on your toes constantly and the mystery is compelling. Because all the characters are a bit messed up, all in their own way, it’s really difficult to determine who can be trusted. Everyone is a suspect. Even Ernest.
 
I absolutely loved “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone” and it is a new all-time favorite.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

Title: All the Sinners Bleed
Author: S.A. Cosby
Genre: Mystery/ Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2023
 
Description: Titus Crown is the first black sheriff in the history of Charon County, Virgina. In recent decades, Charon has had only two murders. After years of working as an FBI agent, Titus knows bettern than anyone that while his hometown might seem like a land of moonshine, cornbread and honeysuckle, secrets always fester under the surface.
 
Then a year to the day after Titus’s election, a school teacher is killed by a former student and the students is fatally shot by Titus’s deputies. Those festering secrets are now out in the open and ready to tear the town apart.
 
As Titus investigates the shootings, he unearths terrible crimes and a serial killer who has been hiding in pain sight, haunting the dirt lanes and woodland clearings of Charon. With the killer’s possible connection to a local church and the town’s harrowing history weighing on him, Titus projects confidence about closing the case while concealing a painful secret from his own past. At the same time, he also has to content with a far-right group that wants to hold a parade in celebration of the town’s Confederate history.
 
Review: The story takes place in 2017, but it could easily be 2024. Titus Crown has been elected the first black sheriff of Charon County. He has brough his experience as a former FBI agent to this depraved rural area where, besides notorious discrimination, little criminal activity occurs. One day he receives an alarming call from one of his deputies. There is a school shooting. When Titus arrives at school with his team, there is great panic. The black perpetrator comes running out of the school and is shot by two of Titus’s team members. Inside lies the body of a beloved teacher. It is the beginning of a nerve-wrecking investigation into the motive and cause.
 
Author S.A. Cosby has a masterful sense of timing. All the components are of high quality. The dialogue, the character development, the sequence of events, the plot twists and turns, and the uncertainty that stays upright until the last page.
 
The crimes in the book are gruesome and are described in detail and explicitly. There is a deeper reason for being explicit. The shock it brings to readers is meant to make us thing. About how condescendingly many people behave toward others and how narrow-mindedness can lead to a sense of superiority.
 
The books also deals with religion, which I’m not always comfortable reading about. But it’s viewed from various perspectives, one is not better than the other. It could be more confrontational though, if you are religious yourself. I found is an additional component that gave even more interpretation to the underlying themes.
 
“All the Sinners Bleed” has many layers, interesting characters, an intriguing small-town mystery, tension and strong plot twists.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Rebel Ridge

Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Genre: Crime/ Action/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen
 
Description: A former Marine (Aaron Pierre) grapples his way through a web of small-town corruption when an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff with the local police chief (Don Johnson).

Review: When Terry Richmond is on his way with a bag full of money to bail out his cousin, his money is confiscated by the local police. Completely dishonest but completely according to the law. That’s the beginning of a blood-curdling cat and mouse game in “Rebel Ridge”, where perfectly executed details add emotions and urgency to a compelling story.

“Rebel Ridge” starts strong, right in the middle of the action, and is immediately compelling. The only moments of calm are when Terry stares intensely but silently at his attackers, which lead actor Aaron Pierre is very good at. The subdued Pierre needs little to no convey palpable yet restrained anger and is thus excellently cast for the role. In addition to Aaron Pierre, AnnaSophia Robb in a supporting role and Don Johnson as the villain are also very impressive.

The film is exciting, it’s a high-level action thriller. It has a somewhat abrupt ending, which I personally didn’t love, but that’s the only critique I have.

Rating: 4,5/ 5