90s Movie Review - Cape Fear

Director: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 1991
Starring: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck

Description: A convicted rapist (Robert De Niro), released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer (Nick Nolte) who originally defended him.  
 
Review: This remake of the 1962 film of the same name was directed by none other than Martin Scorsese, who demonstrated for the first time that he could create an atmospheric thriller.

Max Cady is a convicted rapist, who is released after fourteen years. He starts stalking Sam Bowden and his family, because Bowden was his lawyer.

What makes this film so compelling is Robert De Niro’s extremely unsettling portrayal of Max Cady. He rightly deserved and Oscar nomination for his role as this psychopathic stalker, and this role is still considered one of his best to this day.

Scorsese himself was a big fan of the original and wanted to give it his own twist so that it wouldn’t resemble the original too closely. The result was certainly successful, as it contains many typical Scorsese aspects and he definitely gave it his own twist. The acting is great, the atmosphere is dark and grim, the story is well constructed and the final scene on the boat is really good.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Director: Dan Gilroy
Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Amanda Warren, Tony Plana, Sam Gilroy

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 30: A FILM WITH DENZEL WASHINGTON
 
Description: Roman J. Israel Esq. (Denzel Washington), a driven idealistic defense attorney, finds himself in a tumultuous series of events that lead to a crisis and the necessity for extreme action.

Review: Sometimes you watch these movies that, if the lead actor wasn’t apart of it, people wouldn’t care about it. “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” is one of these movies.

What a great character Roman J. Israel is, a brilliant, idealistic but socially awkward criminal defense lawyer. Played with restraint by Denzel Washington. You just wish he has a slightly better film than this unfocused mix of character study and courtroom thriller.

We follow three weeks in Israel’s life, during which he throws his integrity in the wind after a series of setbacks. Director and screenwriter Dan Gilroy (known for “Nightcrawler”, one of my personal favorites) manages to hold the viewer’s attention for a long time with intelligent dialogue and pleasant languid atmosphere, but seems unsure of where he wants to go with he story.

This movie is still worth watching, for Washington, who received an Oscar nomination. The performance is better then the movie.  

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding

Title: The Drowning Woman
Author: Robyn Harding
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2023
 
Description: Lee Gulliver never thought she’d find herself living on the streets, but when her restaurant fails and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her car. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move – until early in the morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that’s she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one change to escape her life.
 
Out of options, Hazel retreats to her gilded cage, and Lee thinks she’s seen the last of her, until her unexpected return the next morning. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the woman soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she want Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.
 
Review: When Lee, a woman who has lost everything and lives on the streets, sees a woman walking into the sea one morning, she rescues her without hesitation. But the woman, Hazel, was there for a reason. She wanted to get away from her violent, dominant husband. They become friends, but Lee also becomes entangled in a web of secrets and lies.
 
The strength of this thriller lies in the layered plot and clever use of perspective shifts. Lee is an interesting and compelling character. She has been through a lot and finds herself in hopeless situations. Hazel remains a mysterious character for longer. She raises a lot of questions. Can she be trusted? What is her real motive? The interaction between Hazel and Lee are the backbone of the story.
 
I did not particularly like either of the characters though, but I could empathize with both. I just couldn't understand how both women let themselves be so easily charmed by a man who, in my eyes, wasn't that special. And I'm not talking about Hazel’s abusive husband in this case, because that is a more difficult situation. I can’t relate to that either, but I can understand Hazel’s behavior and actions.  
 
I always enjoy thrillers about trust, lies and hidden motives. “The Drowning Woman” had a lot of that. Author Robyn Harding did a good job writing a page turner. Her writing style is accessible and fluent and there is a good balance between suspense and character development. The tension does lack in the second half and I just didn’t like the ending. It had too many loose ends. It felt rushed and a bit abrupt. But I still think it’s a good read I would recommend. Perfect thriller to read on your Summer vacation.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

90s Movie Review - That Thing You Do!

Director: Tom Hanks
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Jonathan Schaech, Ethan Embry, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron, Giovanni Ribisi, Bill Cobbs, Kevin Pollack, Rita Wilson, Chris Isaak

Description: A local Pennsylvania band scores a one-hit wonder in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as they can, with lots of help from their manager (Tom Hanks)

Review: “That Thing You Do” follows a young, ambitious group of young men, in the 1960s, that love music. They start a band. When their drummer breaks his arm, right before an important show, they hire Guy Patterson. He has a different view on music and tries something more up-tempo. This works well and it turns their band, “The Wonders”, into a rock ‘n roll sensation.

It’s the directorial debut of star actor Tom Hanks, who also wrote the script. Hanks also has a role as the manager, but wanted young actors to steal the show. Jonathan Schaech plays lead singer Jimmy, who is very ambitious and talented, but the stardom changes him. Steve Zahn is always excellent at playing the funny supporting characters and does that very well in this movie. Liv Tyler, as Jimmy’s very supportive girlfriend Faye, is lovely as ever. But the real star is Tom Everett Scott, as Guy Patterson. This was his first movie he starred in. Tom Hanks first didn’t want him to star, because he resembles a young Hanks. His wife Rita Wilson, who also has a small role in the movie, finally convinced him. And it was the right choice, because Tom Everett Scott steals every scene he is in.

“That Thing You Do” is one of those fun comedies you can watch over and over again, and you never get tired of it. Even when the song, titled ‘That Thing You Do’, is played so many times. Because you hear it a lot! It’s the perfect movie for a night you don’t want to think too much and just enjoy a fun film.

Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - One Life

Director: James Hawes
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin, Johnny Flynn, Helena Bonham Carter, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp
Description: Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World Ward !!, rescued over 600 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 29: A FILM WITH HELENA BONHAM CARTER
 
Review: Prague, 1938. Englishman Nicholas Winton is persuaded to come and offer help. Nicholas arrives at a refugee camp where dozens of displaced Jewish families are living in the cold, homeless, and this is just one of many. Nichols is moved and knows that war could break out at any moment. He wants to try at least get the children out. That is easier sais than done.

The story alternates between the late 1930s with young Nicholas and the 1980s with Anthony Hopkins playing the elderly Winton. Old Nicholas is not comfortable in his own skin. He is know for his deep melancholy. Young Nicholas doesn’t realize that he is about to change lives, ones he and his team start getting Jewish children of the train to England.

It’s a story about a true hero, who did a completely selfless act and helped save over 600 children’s lives. The ending is very emotional and satisfying and it solves the mystery of old Nicholas’ negative attitude. As a World War II film, “One Life” is nothing new. But the story is about someone who deserves to be in mentioned, for all the good deeds he did, when other’s just looked away.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

Title: Whalefall
Author: Daniel Kraus
Genre: Horror/ Science Fiction
Published: 2023
 
Description: Jay Gardiner has given himself a fool’s errand – to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. He knows it’s a long shot, but Hay feels it’s the only way for him to lift the weight of guilt he has carried since his dad’s death the previous year.
 
The dive begins well enough, but the sudden appearance of a giant squid puts Jay in very real jeopardy, made infinitely worse by the arrival of a sperm whale looking to feed. Suddenly, jay is caught in the squid’s tentacles and drawn into the whale’s mouth where he is pulled into the first of its four stomachs. He quickly realizes he has only one hour before his oxygen tank runs out – one hour to defeat his demons and escape the belly of a whale.
 
Review: “Whalefall” is a sci-fi horror about a diver who is swallowed by an 80-foot, 60 ton sperm whale and has only an hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. This was all I needed to know.
 
Jay Gardiner wants to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach. He knows it’s a long shot, but Jay thinks it’s the only way to get some closure.
 
It takes some time to get into the book, but when we finally get to the exciting point, it’s hard to put down. It’s a fairly short book, with just over 300 pages. In reality it’s probably a lot shorter even. Some chapters consists of just one word or sentence.
 
The book alternates between the present and the past, and in chronological order. The small fragments we get from Jay’s past range from when he was a kid to very recently. For the people who disliked this book, that is probably the main reason. I think it was clever, and it also allowed events to unfold in a different way.
 
It’s marked as horror and I do believe that’s correct. The fact you’re attacked by a giant squid is already very scary, but then being swallowed by a sperm whale. And then there is the claustrophobic feel, which is actually the scariest part of the story. Especially with the realization you only have an hour of oxygen left. If this story is scientifically accurate? I leave that to the scientists. But for some reason that wasn’t on my mind while reading the book.
 
“Whalefall”, for the most part, is about a man dealing with his grief, it has a lot of emotion. The books has a slow start, it took me some time to get into the story. But once Jay goes diving, you’re in for a treat. Especially those final chapters, I was on the edge of my seat. And that’s why I don’t understand why people find it boring. “Whalefall” is a really good book with many layers.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Final Destination: Bloodlines

Director: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Rya Kihlstedt, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, Alex Zahara, April Telek, Tinpo Lee, Tony Todd, Brec Bassinger, Gabrielle Rose
 
Description: Plagued by a recurring violent nightmare, Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) returns from college to find the one person who can break the cycle and save her family from the horrific fate that inevitably awaits them.
 
Review: It has been almost fifteen years since the last “Final Destination” film was released. Part five nicely rounded off the series with a surprise ending. But in true Hollywood tradition, no franchise is dead as long as people are still interested. That brings us to the legacy sequel: “Final Destination: Bloodlines”.

The formula is simple: someone foresees a fatal disaster, manages to escape fate, and saves themselves and others from it. Because Death cannot be fooled, they eventually still die in gruesome ways.

The first film in the series is from 2000. This was a great film. And it has some enjoyable sequels. I only remember absolutely nothing about the fourth movie. These films have never been praised for their high quality. Their appeal lies in the gore and creative ways in which the characters die. But that doesn’t mean it’s superficial nonsense. Behind the setting, structure, and climax of each death is a clear and effective vision.

Until now, each part has faithfully followed this fixed formula. That’s exactly why it’s a pleasant surprise that “Final Destination: Bloodlines” dares to play with it. The film does not open in the present, but in the 1950s. Iris and her boyfriend Payl go to the opening of the Sky View Tower, which ends in a major disaster. When Iris dies, you expect her to wake up from the vision, as usual. But that does not happen. Iris is not the main character, it’s her granddaughter Stefani.

Stefani has been having the same nightmare about the collapsing Sky View Tower for months. She suspects her grandmother can explain more, and it turns out that because her grandmother should not have survived the incident, Stefani and her relatives are also on Death’s list.

“Final Destinations: Bloodlines” breathes new life into the franchise. And again comes up with some really creative ways to kill of its characters. In terms of plot, acting and other cinematic elements, this film has little to offer.

I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this film and it’s actually a great addition to the franchise.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

Title: Razorblade Tears
Author: S.A. Cosby
Genre: Fiction/ Crime/ Thriller
Published: 2021
 
Description: Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid.
 
The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah’s white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss.
 
Derek’s father Buddy Lee was almost as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed of his father was a criminal. Buddy lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy.
 
Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past ans a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys.
 
Review: “Razorblade Tears” is a crime thriller written by S.A. Cosby. In this book we meet Ike and Buddy Lee, who both spend time prison. Ike is on the right track, has his own business and tries to keep his hands clean. Buddy Lee still has some connections to the underworld and lives a pretty sober life. One day, Ike and Buddy Lee learn that their sons have been murdered. They were married, neither really accepted their son’s sexuality, but they are both broken about the news. The cops aren’t moving fast enough in their investigation, so the two grieving fathers take matters in their own hands. And they will stop at nothing.  
 
S.A. Cosby is a black author who grew up in Virginia. His experiences of life as a black man in the Southern United States feature prominently in his work. In “Razorblade Tears”, the difference between how black and white people are treated also plays an important role. It often comes up between Ike (a black man) and Buddy Lee (a white man). But Cosby gives the topics of discrimination and prejudice more depth than just black and white. Not only are Isiah and Derek a gay couple consisting of a black and white partner, but both Ike and Buddy Lee have a history of crime and spend years behind bars. Even though Ike has been out for fifteen years, and has kept a clean sleight ever since, there is still a disadvantage that he experiences because of his skin color. The subject is clearly close to Cosby’s heart, and he does not shy away from presenting his readers with a good dose of social criticism.
 
From page one, Cosby takes you to the dark side of society that you know little about. Ike and Buddy Lee both have a criminal past, which you slowly learn about. Their old selves also resurface during their search for their sons’ killer. The men do not shy away from violence. It could be hard to read for people who are not used to read about violence. But for those who can handle it, Cosby delivers a fine crime thriller. Cosby’s direct writing style and fast pace draw you into the book from the start.
 
The relationship between Ike and Buddy Lee is developed very carefully. While there are “stuck” with each other, they are forced to get to know and understand each other better. This adds a lot of depth to both characters and their relationship, which is the driving force behind this book.
 
“Razorblade Tears” is a beautiful book, that made me feel a lot. It was an emotional read, it was raw and honest. S.A. Cosby is such an amazing writer, this was only the second book I read by him. But I’m not done with him, because he could eventually become a favorite author.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Warfare

Director: Alex Garland, Ray Mendoza
Genre: Drama/ Action
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Will Poulter, Joseph Quinn, Cosmo Jarvis, D’Pharaoh Woon A-Tai, Aaron Mackenzie, Alex Brockdorff, Finn Bennett, Evan Holtzman, Michael Gandolfini,, Joe Macauley, Aaron Deakins, Noah Centenio, Kit Connor, Charles Melton
 
Description: A platoon of Navy Seals embark on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.
 
Review: “Warfare” is a film so realistic that it leaves all other dramatized war films behind. And uncompromising confrontation with the harsh reality of war.
 
On November 19^th 2006, Navy Seal team Alpha One storms a building in Ramadi, a city in central Iraq. The families living there are led to a bedroom and ordered to remain silent. Meanwhile, officer Ray Mendoza maintains contact with air support, while sniper Elliot Miller keeps the house across the street in his sights. Nothing seems to happen at first, until a grenade flies in and all hell breaks loose. Al Qaeda fighters attack from all sides.
 
“Warfare” is a historically accurate reconstruction of the violent siege of the Alpha One unit during the Iraq War, based on the testimonies of Mendoza and his teammates. The events are presented in real time. Everything looks completely incredible, because the film exudes hyperrealism and consistently maintains that line. There is no room for sentimental exchange, which most war movies use a lot of to make it more dramatic. But “Warfare” doesn’t need that, it’s raw and pure. And that’s the power of this film. One of the best films of 2025.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

90s Movie Review - Election

Director: Alexander Payne
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 1999
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 28: A FILM FROM 1999
 
Description: A high school teacher (Matthew Broderick) meets his match in an over-achieving student politician (Reese Witherspoon)

Review: Director Alexander Payne set this delightful mix of political satire and high school comedy in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. Tracy Flick is a bewilderingly driven student who runs for student council. She leaves no stone unturned in her quest to get elected. Her teacher, Jim McAllister, who views her ambitions with a mixture of fear and admiration, puts forward and opposing candidate.

“Election” is cleverly written and exceptionally infectiously acted by a young Reese Witherspoon. And Matthew Broderick is really strong as Jim McAllister. The atmosphere at the high school is portrayed very well, actors play their typical characters very well, and the film contains a dose of satirical, dark humor. A high school comedy with actual depth.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Jurassic World: Rebirth

Director: Gareth Edwards
Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan bailey, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend
 
Description: An expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.
 
Review: It’s hardly a surprise that another Jurassic World movie is hitting theaters. Although the trilogy that began in 2015 became increasingly criticized as the movies progressed, those films still managed to earn billions.  

This new installment is set on an yet another island with a lot of dinosaurs. Scientists of Jurassic World experimented with creating new, mutated dinosaurs. Apparently, a Tyrannosaurus Rex is no longer interesting enough for the general public, so different species of dinosaurs were created. It’s therefore up to the characters in “Jurassic World: Rebirth” to collect the blood of three of the largest dinosaurs still roaming the planet.

This setup is a great excuse to bring a whole lot of different dinosaurs back to the big screen, but is also manages to surprise us with the human characters we follow. Doctor Henry Loomis, for example, is a nice mix of Alan Grant’s love for dinosaurs and Ian Malcolm’s view of the place of humans alongside the animals. Both Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali give their, basically fairly simple, mercenary characters a deeper layer, making it easy to empathize with them. I didn’t really care much about the family in this group though. Even though they are part of one of the coolest scenes in the movie, starring good old T-Rex, I didn’t care about them as much as the original group. When they were clearly added to the story for that specific reason.

The films offers new things, but it does still mostly feel like a repeat exercise. There are many moments that step back in familiar territory, scenes that feel the same as ones we’ve seen in the others movies. But then just slightly different. The most clear example is a scene that strongly resembles the iconic kitchen scene in “Jurassic Park”.

Reviews aren’t nice, but I believe that it’s invalid. People are expecting that it could top or just even be close to the original masterpiece from Steven Spielberg. “Jurassic Park” had so much more to it and is a timeless film. And to be honest, it will never get topped. Thus people should stop expected that. For what it is, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” is good looking, entertaining, adventure film, the perfect popcorn flick. And I’m a little biased, because I have loved everything in this franchise, because I love dinosaurs. I enjoyed it and liked it, you can’t change my mind!

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Title: Incidents Around the House
Author: Josh Malerman
Genre: Horror
Published: 2024
 
Description: To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo and Grandma. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”
 
When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question, over and over… Bela understands that unless she says yes, soon her family must pay.
 
Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep bela safe but other incidents show cracks in her parent’s marriage. The safety bela relies on is on the brink of unraveling. But Other Mommy needs and answer.
 
Review: Sometimes you read a book, that haunts you and really scares you. “Incidents Around the House” by Josh Malerman is one of those books.
 
The story is told from the point of view of eight-year-old Bela. She lives together with her parents, but also with someone she calls Other Mommy. A mysterious entity living in her closet, that asks her every day if she can go inside Bela’s heart. Where Bela’s parents believe that she has an imaginary friend, and Bela calls Other Mommy her friend at first, the entity becomes stronger and more restless.
 
The story of a scary entity in a house that wants to possess a child is certainly nothing new. But Malerman tells it from the perspective of the little girl. And this will either make of break this book for you. It’s a bold choice and in my opinion, that’s the power of the story. It actually adds to the scare factor. Especially if you listen to the audiobook, which is voiced by an adult in a child’s voice. Super creepy.
 
Other then Bella and her grandma, I didn’t really care for the characters though. Although the mother does have a backstory, I never sympathized with her. And the dad was pretty one-dimensional.
 
Aside from that, “Incidents Around the House” is a very good book. I expected the ending, but I did like it. When a horror book truly scares you, it’s done its job.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - A Minecraft Movie

Director: Jared Hess
Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Comedy/ Family/ Fantasy
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge,
 
Description: Four misfits are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home they'll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected expert crafter
 
Review: Popular video games and its film adaptations. Most of the time, they don’t work, with of course a few exceptions. The wildly popular Minecraft games, in which players can do whatever they want in an open world, is up next. I’m definitely not the target audience. But it’s also not a very good movie.

We meet Steve, played by Jack Black, who discovers and orb (which is a cube, but okay) that leads him to the Overworld. With a quick introduction, we see how he enters it and starts building things. Everything is cube shaped and Steve loves how he can use his creativity to build whatever he wants. But there is also danger hidden within this world. And that’s why Steve decides to hide the orb, so no one else can ever enter it. Of course, in the real world this orb is found. By struggling entrepreneur and former gaming champion Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison.

The visuals are good, I bet fans really love this. Jack Black is fun, but his character is very generic and he really draws all the attention to him. Black has always an actor you either love or hate. I happen to love him. Jason Momoa is funny, loved him together with Jack Black. They make for a very good duo. The rest of the characters are pretty forgettable. There is this side-plot of a character from the Overworld entering the real world, meeting Jennifer Coolidge’s characters. Which was absolutely ridiculous. Even for a family film. But other than Momoa and Black, I cannot find anything I liked about it. The world didn’t interest me, I never really understood the hype of this game anyway, so that didn’t help.

I cannot judge if Minecraft fans love this film or not, like I stated before, I’m not the target audience. I do know that I didn’t like this film.

Rating: 2/ 5

Book Review - Sociey of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

Title: Society of Lies
Author: Lauren Ling Brown
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2024
 
Description: Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion - it's been a decade since she graduated, and this visit is special because she will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi.

But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya's worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead. The police are calling it an accident, but Maya suspects that there is more to the story than they are letting on.

As Maya pieces together what happened in the months leading up to her sister's death, she begins to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Despite Maya's warnings, Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus - the same one Maya belonged to. And if she had to guess, Naomi was likely tapped for the secret society within it.

Maya knows that her sister isn't the first person in the society to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past . . . and to the secret she's been keeping all these years.

 
Review: Maya is going back to Princeton, to attend her college reunion, but also for her sister Naomi’s graduation. When she gets the terrible news her sister has died, the police say it’s an accident. Maya doesn’t believe that and believes she was murdered.
When Maya was in college, she was also a part of a secret society, and along the way she learns Naomi also joined them.
 
“Society of Lies” is the debut novel for Lauren Ling Brown, and a strong one. The story is told from the perspective of Maya, in the present day and in the period she was at Princeton. And we follow Naomi, in the months leading up to her death. I always enjoy reading a mystery thriller from multiple perspectives and timelines. And Brown does this very well.
 
The book has dark academia vibes, which reminded me of other books like “The Maidens” by Alex Michaelides, “The It Girl” by Ruth Ware and “In My Dreams I Hold a Knife” by Ashley Winstead. If you enjoyed any of these books, you might like this as well. Because of the secret society element in the story, it also reminded me a lot of the movie “The Skulls”.
 
While the book doesn’t have many major plot twists or shocking reveals, this book is very solid and it kept my attention. I was invested in the mystery that both Maya and Naomi were involved in, and I enjoyed reading about these characters. There were interesting. And I liked the ending.
 
Don’t expect that “Society of Lies” brings something completely new to the table, it’s all been done before. And I don’t mind that, as long as it’s been done well. And Lauren Ling Brown delivered, what a good debut! Looking forward to her next book.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Detective Pikachu

Director: Rob Letterman
Genre: Adventure/ Comedy/ Science Fiction/ Action
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Bill Nighy, Ken Watanabe, Chris Geere, Suki Waterhouse, Rita Ora
Description: In a world where people collet Pokémon to do battle, Tim (Justice Smith) comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) who seeks to be a detective.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 27: A FILM WITH RYAN REYNOLDS
 
Review: Many generations have grown up with Pokémon. Millions of people around the world watched the popular anime series, played the games, collected the cards and enjoyed the movies. The brand grew into one of the biggest entertainment products in the world. I was never a Pokémon girlie. So, when “Detective Pikachu” was released, I was not really interested. I decided to watch it anyway, and I was pleasantly surprised. Because it’s such a fun film.

In this film, Ryan Reynolds voices the Pokémon Pikachu, who teams up with Tim Goodman (played by Justice Smith), to investigate the disappearance of Tim’s father. Tim can actually communicate with Pikachu, much to the surprise of the both of them. The unlikely duo embarks on an adventure in a colorful world where Pokémon live alongside humans, leading to the most absurd situations.

Reynolds is entertaining as the voice of Pikachu. Where the idea of Pikachu having the voice of Reynolds sounds silly, it works really well. And the world director Rob Letterman builds looks really good too. Everywhere you look, you see details from the Pokémon universe. For the target audience, the Pokémon fans, that must be enough for them to enjoy this film.

Me, not a Pokémon enthusiast, really loved this film. It was funny, action-packed, adventurous and I really liked seeing all these Pokémon coming to live in this live-action movie. So for the fans, this would probably have an ever better effect.

Rating: 4 / 5