Book Review - Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

Title: Once There Were Wolves
Author: Charlotte McConaghy
Genre: Fiction/ Mystery
Published: 2021
 
Description: Inti Flynn arrives in the Scottish Highlands with fourteen grey wolves, a traumatized sister and fierce tenacity.
 
As a biologist, she knows the animals are the best hope for rewilding the ruined landscapes and she cares little for local opposition. As a sister, she hopes the remote project will offer her twin, Aggie, a chance to heal after the horrific events that drive them both out of Alaska.
 
But violence dogs their footsteps and one night Inti stumbles over the body of a farmer. Unable to accept that her wolves could be responsible, she makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn’t make the kill, then who did? And can she trust the man she is beginning to love when he becomes the main suspect?

Review: Australian biologist Inti Flynn and her twin sister Aggie travel to the Scottish Highlands as projects leaders of an international environmental project to rewild landscapes by introducing specially bred wolves, in order to rebuild a healthy ecosystem and save the devastated Highlands. The local populations, who live off agriculture and livestock farming, are not all that happy about the reintroduction of 14 wolves and are putting up fierce resistance. But it’s not only the wolves who have build a new life. Inti must also change and create a new life for herself. Due to her upbringing, broken childhood, and events involving her sister Aggie, Inti has lost her trust in people and has become withdrawn and closed off. As she observes the wolves and follow their actions to claim a place in the world, she slowly but surely notices that her high walls are beginning to crumble. And she becomes even more involved with the local community when one of the farmers is murdered and Inti, fearing that her wolves will be blamed, makes a far-reaching decision.
 
Charlotte McConaghy has written a very complex book with “Once There Were Wolves”. It is not just a story about an environmental project and nature conservation, a psychological novel about a troubled woman, or a murder mystery. Not is it just a love story. It is a combination of all these things. And it makes the story so fascinating. The story grabs you and doesn’t let go.
 
McConaghy has a clear, vivid, and lively writing style, with strong characters and interesting, in-depth storylines that slowly but surely intertwine and come together to form a strong plot. It never becomes sentimental or vague, despite the depth and emotion that come to surface. “Once There Were Wolves” remains mysterious, captivating and exciting. An absolute must-read and a new all-time favorite for me.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Ocean with David Attenborough

Director: Colin Butfield, Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: David Attenborough
 
Description: Attenborough explores the planet’s undersea habitats, revealing the greatest age of ocean discover and emphasizes the ocean’s vital importance while exposing its problems and highlighting opportunities for marine life recovery.
 
Review: Just before his 99^th birthday, Sir David Attenborough is releasing one of the most important films of his career. In the documentary “Ocean”, the world-famous documentary maker takes viewers on a journey to discover how the oceans play an important role in saving biodiversity.

With “Ocean” he wants to show that the ocean is humanity’s greatest ally in the fight against global warming. Which makes this a very important film. At almost 100 years being on this planet, Attenborough shows how the state of the oceans and our knowledge of how they function changed during his lifetime. Looking back on his dive in the Great Barrier Reef in 1957, which made him forget how to breath when he first saw it. Since then, life in the oceans has declined catastrophically.

The documentary discusses various causes that show who and how the damage to the oceans has been caused. For example, these are shocking images of a trawler, a commonly fishing method. Large, heavy chains scour the bottom of the ocean and damaging and killing everything that is drag along. A prefect example of how industrial fishing sucks the life our of the oceans.

According to Attenborough, the state of the ocean was so dramatic that he almost lost hope for the future of life on the planer. An important reason was the near extinction of whales. But when whaling was banned, whales came back. The ocean can recover faster than we ever thought possible.

Less then 3% of the ocean is protected and that should be a lot more. Because if we leave the ocean alone, it will restore, faster then you think. And we can have our beautiful oceans back.

“Ocean with David Attenborough” is a beautiful, yet heartbreaking documentary, brutally honest but also very hopeful. The people who will see this film, probably already know the problem and are trying to help. The people who really need to see it, also most likely don’t care. I believe this film should be showed in schools.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Fear Street: Prom Queen

Director: Matt Palmer
Genre: Horror/ Mystery/ Thriller
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, Katherine Waterston, Lili Taylor, Chris Klein, Ariana Greenblatt, David Iacono, Darrin Baker, Ella Rubin, Rebecca Ablack, Ilan O’Driscoll
 
Description: When the “it” girls for prom queen at Shadyside high start to disappear, a gutsy outsider discovers she’s in for one hell of a prom night.
 
Review: “Fear Street: Prom Queen” is based on a book by bestselling author R.L. Stine, known for the “Fear Street” book series, but also the “Goosebumps” books. Teen horror with a fun twist.

At first glance, the story seems unremarkable. In 1988, outsider Lori wants to become prom queen, while her rival Tiffany and het friends make Lori’s life miserable. Tiffany’s boyfriend secretly has a crush on Lori, while Tiffany is under pressure from her parents. Meanwhile, in dark corners of the dance hall, more and more prom queen candidates are being gruesomely murdered by a masker figure in a red coat.

The book came our in 1992 and although his books were for kids and teens, they were always pretty scary. “Fear Street: Prom Queen” is very bloody, but therefor primarily a homage to the 1908s slasher film.

The characters a very cliché and you can predict a little who’s going to die next. But the film has a surprising twist that I personally didn’t see coming. Which makes it a fun slasher with a surprise element.

Rating: 3/ 5

00s Movie Review - Sunshine

Director: Danny Boyle
Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Mark Strong, Benedict Wong Hiroyouki Sanada

Description: A team of international astronauts is sent ton a dangerous mission to reignite the dying Sun with a nuclear fission bomb in 2057.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 22: A FILM FROM 2007
 
Review: It’s 2057. The sun is about to go out. A team of scientists is sent to the sun to restart it with a heavy bomb, and thus save humanity from extinction. Sounds like the lpot of a silly B-movie? Except this sci-thriller is directed by Danny Boyle and for that reason alone “Sunshine” should pique the interest of any self-respecting film love. And you will see, that it’s a great movie.

There has been a previous attempt to reignite the sun. In “Sunshine” we follow the crew of Icarus II, which means there must have been an Icarus I. However, for reasons as yet unknown, this mission never succeeded and the ship was presumed lost. When the crew of the Icarus II pick up a distress signal from their mysteriously disappeared predecessor and decides to take a look at the ship, you really know things are probably not going to end well.

The atmosphere is palpable, because of the claustrophobic setting. And the cast is great. There are so many big names in this film. What also stands out is the soundtrack, by Underworld. It adds to the dramatic effect and the tension.

The film is a bit messy at times, but it’s easy to forgive. Because I do believe “Sunshine” is an excellently, underrated sci-fi thriller.

Rating: 4 / 5 

Movie Review - Mickey 17

Director: Bong Joo Ho
Genre: Science Fiction/ Comedy/ Drama/ Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 137 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie
 
Description: During a human expedition to colonize space, Mickey 17 (Robert Pattinson), a so-called “expendable” employee, is send to explore an ice planet.
 
Review: South Korean filmmaker Bong Joo Ho follow up his masterpiece “Parasite” with lighter and less layered viewing material. “Mickey 17” is a science fiction comedy more in tune with “Okja” and contains similar satirical ingredients to “Snowpiercer”. However, the whole thing has nowhere near the drama of the latter film, or the emotional impact of “The host”. But no worry, “Micky 17” is highly entertaining popcorn cinema.

The new Bong Joon Ho seems like a blend between “Moon” by Duncan Jones and Paul Verhoeven’s “Starship Troopers”. The story came from the mind of American writer Edward Ashton. Protagonist is Mickey Barnes, a no to savvy guy who signed on to pursue the unappealing profession of Expendable. That means he is employable for the most dangerous jobs or experiments that are usually deadly. If Mickey dies, they just print a new version of, preserving memories.

When Mickey is sent to the ice planet Nifelheim with a crew of colonists led by Kenneth Marshall and his manipulative wife Ylfa, something goes wrong. Mickey, who is now on his seventeenth life, ends up in a rift and is written off. However, he manages to survive, returns to his base and collides with Mickey 18. This is a serious problem, as Multiples are not allowed to stay alive, by the rules of Marshall’s regime.

Bong’s critique of neofascism, which was also covered in “The Host” and “Snowpiercer”, takes on a more cartoonish approach here. The ultra-narcissist Kenneth Marshall, who seems like a parody mix of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, is the biggest example of that. Mark Ruffalo  really did a great job doing so (he is a well-know Trump-hater). Robert Pattinson is also very good as Mickey Barnes.

Bong has set the bar so high with all his past work that it becomes difficult to consider “Mickey 17” one of his great films. Well-made? Yes. Entertaining? Most definitely. Witty? For the most part. Interesting? Overall, yes. The film touches on topical themes and works them into an entertaining popcorn sci-fi adventure. But also buries them under superficiality and silly stuff. A fun film, but it’s not one for the books.  

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

Title: Blue Sisters
Author: Coco Mellors
Genre: Fiction/ Contemporary
Published: 2024
 
Description: The three Blue sisters are exceptional – and exceptionally different. Avery, the eldest and a recovering heroin addict turned strait-laced lawyer, lives with her wife in London; Bonnie, a former boxer, works as a bouncer in Los Angeles following a devastating defeat; and Lucky, the youngest, models in Paris while trying to outrun her hard-partying ways. They also had a fourth sister, Nicky, whose unexpected death left Avery, Bonnie and Lucky reeling. A year later, as they each navigate grief, addiction, and ambition, they fins they must return to new York to stop the sale of the apartment they were raise in.
 
But coming home is never as easy as it seems. As the sisters reckon with the disappointment of their childhood and the loss of the only person who held them together, they realize the greatest secrets they’ve been keeping might not have been from each other, but from themselves.
 
Review: The Blue sisters grow up in a small New York apartment in a family with an emotionally absent mother. And a father who also doesn’t quite know how to handle the responsibility that comes with having a family. This is the foundation on which four sisters must build their lives, and it does not come easily.
 
As is the case in any family, dynamics develop between them that will last a lifetime. When there is a sudden death in their family, everything is put on the edge again. The great loss is palpable with Avery, Bonnie and Lucky. As a reader you get a clear picture from the alternating perspectives of these three sisters. How each of them deal with the loss of their other sister Nicky, sister number four. All three sisters have destructive tendencies that stem from that shaky foundation.
 
This is Coco Mellor’s second book. Her debut, “Cleopatro and Frankenstein”, I read earlier this year. And I really loved it. And the same goes for “Blue Sisters”. Mellors really knows how to write a good character driven story and write strong, vivid characters as well.
 
No matter how lonely they sometimes feel withing the oppressive bonds of family, there is also an indestructible kind of love. And I really loved that about “Blue Sisters”. I didn’t love the books as much as I expected to, it didn’t hit me hard emotionally. Maybe because I don’t have sisters and a bond with a brother is different than one between sisters. But, still, “Blue Sisters” is an amazing read that I would recommend.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - Five Nights at Freddy's

Director: Emma Tammi
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Matthew Lillard, Mary Stuart Masterson

Description: A troubled security guard (Josh Hutcherson) begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. During his five nights on the job, he realizes that something is wrong with the pizzeria and pretty soon finds the truth about its animatronics.

Review: I have to start by saying I knew nothing about the game before watching this film. In the computer game “Five Nights at Freddy’s”, the player takes on the role fo a security guard. During the night shift, you must ensure that the branches of a fictional pizza chain remain safe. The main threat is the animatronic bear Freddy, after whom the restaurants are named. With his friends, Freddy has a pretty hostile attitude. There are over ten games out now.

In the movie the “player” is Mike, who gets the job as security guard at the pizza restaurant, which is now completely rundown. He is given a backstory, to give the film and character a bit more substance. He is sometimes visited by cop Vanessa, who seems to know a lot about the pizza place. And it’s about to get scary.

We quickly learn that the animatronics at this restaurant are coming alive and it is kind of strange to me how easy Mike goes along with this story. There isn’t much explanation given.

Director and co-writer Emma Tammi has put a lot of time into the dramatic element of her game adaptation. As a result, her second feature is constantly held up by hassles surrounding the introverted Abby, the tug-of-war over custody and Mike's recurring dreams. Clearly, everything will eventually come together, with coincidence playing a bizarrely large role. But is the horror audience actually interested in this?

A good horror film needs a ton of suspense and build-up, everything “Five Nights at Freddy’s seems to be missing. There is a handful of jump scares and little is left to your imagination. With an absurd premise like this it can go either way. It worked for the game, because these are immensely popular. It however does not work for the film.

Rating: 1,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - How Do You Know

Director: James L. Brooks
Genre: Romance/ Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson, Kathryn Hahn

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 21: A FILM WITH JACK NICHOLSON

Description: After being cut from the U.S.A. softball team and feeling a bit past her prime, Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) finds herself evaluating her life and in the middle of a love triangle, as a corporate guy (Paul Rudd) in crisis competes with her current, baseball-playing beau (Owen Wilson).

Review: Lisa has just been cut from the U.S.A. softball team and struggling what to do with her life. With that she is also dealing with two men in her life.
 
There is no good reason for this movie to be two hours long. And don’t fall for the excellent cast. A romcom with Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd sounds like a great idea. And then Jack Nicholson, working again with director James L. Brooks, as previous in “Terms of Endearment” and “As Good As It Gets”. Well, we got fooled.
 
It took me some time to get into the story, but there isn’t really a story. There is so much going on, there is no focus on a clear plot. It’s verry messy. The actors are doing fine, with what they’re given. But there’s not much to work with.
 
“How Do You Know” is a very forgettable romcom. Already forgotten.
 
Rating: 2/ 5

Book Review - Pretty Girls by Karen Slaughter

Title: Pretty Girls
Author: Karen Slaughter
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2015
 
Description: Twenty years ago Claire Scott's eldest sister, Julia, went missing. No one knew where she went - no note, no body. It was a mystery that was never solved and it tore her family apart. Now another girl has disappeared, with chilling echoes of the past. And it seems that she might not be the only one. Claire is convinced Julia's disappearance is linked.

But when she begins to learn the truth about her sister, she is confronted with a shocking discovery, and nothing will ever be the same...

 
Review: Karen Slaughter is a well-known, popular thriller author, but I haven’t read that many books by her. Most of the books feel pretty standard, I never find them very memorable.
 
Claire’s eldest sister Julia went missing twenty years ago. All this time the family lives in uncertainty, but slowly Claire, with the help of her other sister Lydia, gets closer to the truth about Julia. And the truth is nothing they could’ve ever imagined.
 
People kept telling me this is one of Slaughter’s best books. And I get why. It’s an engaging thriller, with a mystery that is very unpredictable and twisty. The characters have depth and good development as well.
 
You do need to know, getting into a Slaughter thriller, that she doesn’t shy away from depicting excessive violence and abuse. Trigger warnings there. I can understand that people would be shocked by that. And it is indeed very gruesome, but I like to be shocked in my thrillers.
 
The only problem that I had with this story is that some elements feel very implausible. With that I mean the character of Paul. I find it hard to believe that Claire never noticed anything, when it comes to certain things we learn about Paul. In the 20 years that they’ve known each other, it’s very unrealistic.
 
Any Karen Slaughter fan will love this book, because it has many elements that she is known for. However, because of that one issue I had with the book, it didn’t fully captivate me. I liked the book, but I really wanted to love it.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Title: Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Fiction/ Mystery
Published: 2012
 
Description: Who are you? What have we done to each other?
These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren't made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone.

So what did happen to Nick's beautiful wife?

 
Review: Nick Dunne and his wife Amy have moved from new York to Nick’s hometown in Missouri. There they live in a big house and to the outside world they are the perfect couple. On their five-year wedding anniversary, Amy disappears. The living room shows a scene of a struggle and the kitchen shows clear traces of blood that was cleaned up. All signs point to Nick, being involved with Amy’s disappearance.
 
The story is followed from two perspectives: Nick and Amy, with Amy’s chapters being told in journal entries. As a reader you are constantly tossed back and forth. Who is telling the truth, and who should we believe? When you think you have figured it out, you haven’t. You can’t trust either of the two characters. Both characters, Amy and Nick, jump of the page. Such well-written, interesting, dark, messed-up, unlikeable characters.
 
The book has many twists, and I can honestly say that this is one of the best twists I ever read. Even though I did already see the movie, I can only imagine how it would have shocked me if I read it before seeing the film.
 
“Gone Girl” is exactly the way a thriller should be written, and there aren’t many books that can match this one. It’s so clever and intelligent, and I want to read everything that Gillian Flynn has written.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

TV Show Review - The Four Seasons

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2025
Starring: Tina Fey, Will Forte, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, Marco Calvani, Kerri Kenney, Erika Henningson   

Description: Three suburban couples vacation together each season, but tensions arise when one couple splits up and the husband brings a much younger woman on subsequent trips.  

Review: A 25-year marriage is hard work, but the love is worth it, the group friends in “The Four Seasons” agree. Until one of them decided to end their marriage.

A trio of befriended couples can’t figure out how you define love after 25 years of marriage. Is it a soulmate? Or just devotion?

When the friend meet up in Spring, one of them decides he wants to leave their partner. He is unhappy and is marriage is boring, he tells his friends. We follow the group of friends a full year; during Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Each season taking up two episodes.

You really fly through this series, since each episode is about 30-minutes long. And you will effortlessly care about these characters. Especially Danny, played by Colman Domingo, and Claude, a role by Marco Calvani, really stole my heart. “The Four Seasons” is a lighthearted, warm and comical series, without becoming bland. Not a series you would expect a shocking twist from, but it does happen.

It's a fun series, that will have a second season, which is needed after that major cliffhanger. A great assemble cast, that portray characters you really care about. Would recommend.

90s Movie Review - A Family Divided

Director: Don Wrye
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 1995
Starring: Faye Dunaway, Stephen Collins, Cameron Bancroft, Judson Mills, Aidan Pendleton
Description: A respectable middle class family lives begin to fall apart when the parents come to suspect that son Chad may have been involved in a gang-rape.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 20: A FILM WITH FAYE DUNAWAY
 
Review: Karen and Roger live a happy life with their two children, Chad and Melissa. When Karen is watching the news, she learns about a missing girl. They quickly find out that Chad might have been involved in a gang-rape, and that this girl is now missing.

What would you do to protect your child? That’s the moral of the story. It’s pretty clear Chad was involved, just as his sorority friend. You would think that Roger, a lawyer, would make Chad want to do the right thing and turn himself in. But Roger wants to cover it up and protect Chad, no matter what. Karen is the one that feels this is wrong. She becomes estranged from her husband and feels she has failed as a mother, realizing what her son has done.

It's fine, the story is interesting, how each character deals with this horrible situation. Aside from Faye Dunaway, the acting is pretty bad though. And although the story is focused on this family, I would also want to know what would happen to the other guys that were involved. Especially Carter, who seemed to be the initiator of this cruel act. He seems to have no remorse and I wanted to see him get justice. We never learn what happens to any of them and we never see the victim’s side of the story either.

I know that the director wanted to do, focus on what this did to Chad’s family. But it didn’t work for me. I wanted more from this story.

Rating: 2 / 5

Movie Review - Paddington in Peru

Director: Dougal Wilson
Genre: Adventure/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Ben Wishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Imelda Staunton, Antonio Banderas Olivia Colman, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin
 
Description: Paddington returns to Pery to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey.
 
Review: Paddington has been living with the Brown family for several years. The children are almost young adults. Mother Mary worries about the inevitable empty nest as daughter and son increasingly live their own lives. But then a disturbing message arrives from Paddington’s homeland in Pery. For one last family adventure, the Browns travel to the Peruvian jungle, where they come face to face with crazy villains, spikey plants and singing nuns. Like its predecessors, “Paddington in Peru” is a dryly comic, slightly wacky and heartwarming film for all ages.

When the family arrives in Pery, Aunt Lucy is missing. So the Brown head into the jungle to find her. Paddington’s clumsiness and enthusiasm is still the root of it. His politeness and marmalade sandwiches are again his main weapon. Along with his new umbrella. A true British gentleman, of course, cannot do without one.  

Although still a writer on the project, Paul King did not direct the third film in the series. Dougal Wilson takes over. And it’s all a little bigger and brighter for this one. Even though I still highly enjoyed this film, I prefer the smaller take on the story in previous films (especially the second one).

I like all the Paddington films, because Paddington himself is just the most adorable character. You have to be completely heartless to not be affected by his kindness. The film is funny, witty, charming, heartwarming and adventurous and this is the perfect family film.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

Title: The Midnight Feast
Author: Lucy Foley
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2024
 
Description: It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been places in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.
 
But under the burning midsummer sum, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered.
 
Review: The Midnight Feast” is the fourth book I read from Lucy Foley. I have enjoyed “The Guest List” and “The Paris Apartment”, and didn’t like “The Hunting Party”. And I’m sorry to say, “The Midnight Feast” is my least favorite so far.
 
In this book we are introduced to Francesca, who is the owner of a luxury hotel called The Manor. She has organized a wonderful weekend and everything has to be perfect. She gets help from her staff and her husband. But what many guests don’t know is that Francesca grew up in this hotel, when it was just a luxury house. Something happened here in the past which now seems to be driving the force behind the extraordinary events in the hotel.
 
Something that Lucy Foley does in all her thrillers, is creating an atmosphere with the setting, telling the story from multiple POV’s and use different timelines. The luxury seaside manor with a creepy forest is the setting, we follow five perspectives and alternate between three timelines: before the feast, after the feast and diary entries from 15 years ago. So far so good.
 
The first third of the book is introducing us to the characters, learning about their lives and who they are. We learn more about the manor. It’s actually pretty boring and I understand people DNF’ing this book at this point. It does get more interesting after this, but not interesting enough to be super invested. There were no standout characters. And the story is not very focused either. There is a dead body, characters who have a past with other characters, a farm next to the manor that suffers from the resort being there. And then there is this weird side plot about birds and bird people in the forest. I didn’t really understand why this was in here, I served no purpose and felt really silly because there is no real explanation for all this in the end.
 
As for the twists and reveals, none of them really shocked or surprised me. There was one link between two characters that I did not see coming, but that was about it. I wasn’t disappointed in this book, because I already didn’t have high expectations. But I really didn’t enjoy most of the book. If you want to pick up anything from Lucy Foley, because I still think she is a good author, you should read “The Guest List”.
 
Rating: 2/ 5

20s Movie Review - Conclave

Director: Edward Burger
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini

Description: When Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a web of conspiracies and intrigue that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.

Review: A conclave is the private process by which the most devout men of the Catholic Church come together to elect a new Pope.

The Pope has died in his sleep. Cardinal Lawrence is given the task of leading the conclave. He is not happy about that, as he was just about to resign his position at the Vatican. The lobbying begins even before the trial has begun, and the the unknown Archbishop Benitez shows up.

You might expect “Conclave” to be a religious drama, but it’s not. It’s a thriller, almost political. It’s conservative versus progressive. And just like any political election, there are secrets that surface.
Ralph Fiennes is the perfect choice to play Cardinal Lawrence, a tormented soul. Stanley Tucci is a perfect “wing man”. John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini are also very strong in their roles.

Although the pace is slow, the tension is high and the film keeps you engaged from start to finish. I was surprised at how much I loved this film.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Upside

Director: Neil Burger
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman
Description: A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia (Bryan Cranston) and an unemployed man with a criminal record (Kevin Hart) who’s hired to help him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 48: A MOVIE SET BU SOUTH-AMERICA
 
Review: Dell Scott makes his living from shady dealings and benefits. The latter seems to be coming to an end when his probation officer forces him to apply for a job and so he has to look for a real job. Dell has no intention of throwing himself into an honest job, however, and so he does everything but his best during various job applications. Until the moment he steps into the penthouse of millionaire Philip Lacasse. Lacasse is paralyzed and is therefore looking for a caretaker. A job for which the inexperienced Dell is totally unsuitable. Yet Philip sees in him the ideal person to help him and give his dormant life a new impulse. An impulse that will completely turn his life, and those around him, upside down. But a completely new world also opens up for Scott that makes him question the things he believed in until then.

“The Upside” is an American remake of the French film “Intouchables” from 2011. That movie was a huge success and I also absolutely loved it. The story is based on the true life friendship of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and Abdel Sellou and was before this already depicted in the documentary “A la vie, à la mort” in 2003. You could say, a remake of “Intouchables” is not really necessary, which I would agree too. But to be honest, I’m not mad about “The Upside”.

When you compare the two, “Intouchables” is without a doubt the better movie. But looking at it, not thinking of the original, “The Upside” is actually a really good, heartwarming film. Bryan Cranston can do no wrong in my eyes and I liked him in his role. But it’s actually Kevin Hart that steals the show here. I seem to prefer Hart in roles like this, where he has his comedic moments, but they are not taking the overhand. He can do light drama very well. And Hart and Cranston are also very good together.  

I highly enjoyed “The Upside” and would still recommend it.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - The Residence (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Mystery/ Comedy/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2025
Starring: Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Molly Griggs, Ken Marino, Randall Park, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jason Lee, Bronson Pinchot, Jane Curtin, Julian McMahon, Kylie Minogue

Description: An inside look of the White House’s staff residence and the lives workers share with the First Family, and the brilliant detective (Uzo Aduba) hired to crack the case of the mystery death that has occurred.

Review: A murder, a number of suspects and multiple rooms and murder weapons; for fans of the board game (and movie) “Clue” this is right up their alley. I love this stuff. With “The Residence’ we get an entertaining whodunit, full of satire and eccentric characters. And while there is plenty to choose from when it comes to murder mysteries, this one is definitely worth watching.

During a gran state banquet at the White House, the head of the household is found dead. The country’s best detective, Cordelia Cupp, is called in to investigate and solve the case as discreetly as possible. Anything but inconspicuous, she sets to work in her own eccentric way.

The creators have found a perfect way to frame the story. Months after the incident, a hearing takes place in which a committee re-examines all the details of the case. People involved are questioned and through flashbacks the viewers get a better picture of the events. Little by little, new insights are revealed. In this way, time is played with and time jumps provide a dynamic progression.

At the same time it allows the committee’s interrogators to question Cupp’s distinct but highly effective modus operandi. Actress Uzo Aduba portrays her role of detective as an unflappable and perceptive character. Cupp is not intimidated by her surroundings or the influential people she interrogates. In her spare time, she is a passionate birder, ans those skills – patience, attention to detail and focus – come in handy in her work as well. In Sherlock-like fashion, she manages to paint a complete picture of a situation with just a few clues.

The pace of the series is fast, with quick edits and fluid jumps in time. This contrasts with the slower, more introspective scenes in which characters are explored. The White House is obviously the ideal setting for a murder mystery, because with its many beautifully decorated rooms, hidden hallways and intriguing hierarchy among the staff, much remains hidden. Cupp has the location locked down; no one is allowed our until the culprit is known.

With a cleverly constructed story, interesting characters and a great setting, the series remains engaging from start to finish. For every murder mystery fan, this is a definite must-see.