Book Review - The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

Title: The Last Housewife
Author: Ashley Winstead
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2022
 
Description: While in college in upstate New York, Shay Evans and het best friends met a captivating man who seduced them with a web of lies about the way the worlds works, bringing them under his thrall. By senior year, Shay and her friend Laurel were the only ones who managed to escape.
 
Now, eight years later, Shay’s built a new life in a tony Texas suburb. But when she heart the horrifying news of Laurel’s death – delivered, of all ways, by her favorite true-crime podcast crusader – she begins to suspect that the past she thought she buried is still very much alive, and the predators more dangerous than ever.
 
Recruiting the help of the podcast host, Shay goes to the place she vowed never to return to in search of answers. As she follows the threads of her friend’s life, she’s pulled into a dark, seductive world, where wealth and privileges shield brutal philosophies that feel all too familiar.
 
When Shay’s obsession with uncovering the truth becomes so consuming she can no longer separate her desire for justice from darker desires newly reawakened, she must confront the depths of her own complicity and conditioning. But in a world built for men to rule it – both inside the cult and outside it – is justice even possible, and if so, how far will Shay go to get it?
 
Review: It doesn’t take long before you’re hooked. “The Last Housewife” by Ashley Winstead” is a real page turner. Some trigger warnings:  physical and sexual violence, drug use, misogyny, self-harm and trauma.
 
The book follows Shay Evans, a columnist who is focusing on writing a book. She listens to a true-crime podcast by Jamie, one of her best friends from high school, and finds out that one of her college roommates Laurel has been found dead. Jamie suspects it’s murder, when authorities claim it was suicide. Shay decides to travel back to New York, to find out for herself.
 
Shay is united with Jamie and the closer they get to the truth, the more we learn about Shay’s dark past. Shay and Laurel, together with two other college friends, were manipulated by a man named Don, who used physical, emotional, mental and sexual dominance over them. Don demanded that they behave according to traditional gender roles, and if they didn’t, his punishment escalated from withholding his attention to more physical methods.
 
As a reader you’re constantly trying to find out what Shay’s motivation is: is she trying to find justice for her friend, or is she secretly longing to submit again? Even after eight years, Shay didn’t manage to free herself from Don’s grip.
 
The power dyamic between men and women is an important theme in this story. When Shay was under Don’s control, she learned what this meant in its most extreme form. Although much more subtle, Shay’s husband Cal also exercises a form of dominance. Using money as his power weapon.
 
The story is very disturbing. The power these men wield over women is disgusting and infuriating. But unfortunately it’s still very topical. Traditional gender roles and misogyny are still a big problem in this world. And Ashely Winstead manages to create a memorable and satisfying piece of noir fiction. Never expected the dark turns this novel would take and that I would eventually end up loving it this much.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Heartstopper: Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

Title: Heartstopper: Volume 5 (Heartstopper # 5)
Author: Alice Oseman
Genre: Romance/ Graphic Novel, LGBTQ+
Published: 2023
 
Description: Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They’ve finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick’s house… But when Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?
 
Review: This is the fifth part in the “Heartstopper” series, with a sixth one on the way. In this volume, Nick and Charlie have to think about their future. Which university do they want tot attend, and will they sill live close enough to maintain their relationship? Fortunately, their relationship is stronger than ever, and Nick and Charlie seem unbeatable as a couple.
 
Charlie feels that they are ready for the next step in their relationship. They would like to stay over at each other’s houses, but Charlie’s mother, in particular, is not keen on the idea. Nick also goes on a trip with Tara and Elle. They visit the universities of Kent, Oxford and Leeds. Because they have to pick universities.
 
In this part, Nick and Charlie show that growing up is not as easy an fun as it seems. You have to make so many choices that feel will determine the rest of your life. One of those is which school to attend: do they choose a school close to home, so they can still see their family and friends, or do they choose a school that is actually much better suited for them, but also much further away? And especially Nick is finding this particular difficult.
 
I love this series and even though I really enjoyed this fifth volume, it didn’t give me the same feeling as the other four did. It’s my least favorite so far. This was supposed to be the final book in the series, but Alice Oseman announced that she’s actually wrapping it up in a sixth volume. And I think it does deserve a better ending, so I t makes sense.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Thunder Force

Director: Ben Falcone
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Comedy
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, Jason Bateman, Melissa Leo, Bobby Cannavale, Pom Klementieff
Description: In a world where supervillains are commonplace, two estranged childhood best friends (Octavia Spencer, Melissa McCarthy) reunite after one devises a treatment that gives them powers to protect their city.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 35: A FILM WITH OCTAVIA SPENCER
 
Review: Director Ben Falcone has his wife, actress Melissa McCarthy, star in his films pretty regularly. No matter if their movies are a hit or miss, they continue to work together. This time, they combine their forces for “Thunder Force”. McCarthy plays Lydia, who accidentally gains superpowers. And now, together with her estranged best friend from school she is trying to fight the villains, the so-called Miscreants, in their city.

This movie is not good. In any case, it’s not Melissa McCarthy’s fault. She has the timing and talent to turn any half-baked idea into something that can pass for mildly amusing. Octavia Spencer also delivers an excellent performance as the brilliant but introverted friend Emily. However, there is little chemistry between the two. They don’t feel like two women who grew up together and have a close bond despite all the tension. A palpable friendship is exactly what this film needs the most.

“Thunder Force” contains superhero clichés. And clichés don’t bother me when done well, but that’s not the case for this film. Parents who must be avenged, strange names for alter egos, having to learn to control one’s powers. And little humor is drawn from this. At best, there are a few funny moments. Half-baked funny ideas that are not very well developed.

I could have gone along with it, if it was some sort of parody film. But whenever something ridiculous does appear, it seems out of place. Like Jason Bateman’s characters, called The Crab. He has crab claws instead of hands, which does indeed look laughable, but its mainly strange and not funny. As it’s clearly intended to be.

What remains is a predictable action comedy, with few jokes.

Rating: 2/ 5

00s Movie Review - Mission: Impossible 2

Director: John Woo
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2000
Starring: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Thandie Newton, Dougray Scott, Richard Roxburgh, Brendan Gleeson, Billy Baird

Description: IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called “Chimera”.

Review: Ethan Hunt returns, and is now called to Sydney to find and destroy a dangerous disease called Chimera.

Before starting my rewatch of all the movies in the “Mission: Impossble” franchise, I did remember that the second installment wasn’t the best. But now that I’ve seen it again after so many years, I realize it’s actually pretty bad. It’s just shamelessly action-packed, yet still taking itself seriously, when it’s actually a bit ridiculous. And I now most of the films in this franchise are filled with action and are pure popcorn films, but they do have substance. “Mission: Impossible 2” feels so different from the rest for some reason.

The story isn’t well written. The acting is pretty bad, I hated the villain. Dougray Scott is not convincing as a bad guy and I never took him seriously. Thandie Newton who plays Nya Hall, the love interest/ ally of Ethan Hunt, although doing her best, is overly sexualized and I think she could have been more this movie then just the pretty woman functioning as the decoy.

I did like the soundtrack, that was definitely in my wheel house. With lots of ripping guitars.
Long story short, this is the odd one out in the “Mission: Impossible” series. And I did not like it.

Rating: 2/ 5

90s Movie Review - Mission: Impossible

Director: Brian De Palma
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Redgrave, Kristen Scott Thomas, Henry Czerny

Description: An American agent (Tom Cruise), under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

Review: This first film about an international team of spies led by Ethan Hunt is an instant hit for fans of high-tech action spectacle and inimitable plot twists. I decided to rewatch all the films in the franchise, before watching the newest in the series.

The ladies and gentlemen of the Mission: Impossible team must prevent the theft of a file containing the names of secret agents. But things go wrong, and the team will have to flee and fight, unravel and expose.

This is were it all started, did Tom Cruise realize that the movies would eventually get better and better (with exceptions)? Because this is probably one of the most successful action movie franchises. It’s been a while since I last saw the first in the series, but I remember really liking it. And it holds up.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

90s Movie Review - Miller's Crossing

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 1990
Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, Albert Finney, John Turturro, Steve Buscemi

Description: Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne), an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss (Albert Finney), tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 34: A FILM FROM 1990
 
Review: This is the third film by the Coen brother, Joel and Ethan. In “Miller’s Crossing” they firmly established their signature visual flair, which they would continue in films such as “Fargo” and “The Big Lebowski”.

In this film noir, gangster Leo is asked to eliminate Bernie, but he is the brother of the woman he is in love with. Meanwhile, she is already involved with Leo’s right-hand man Tom.

The theme is good and evil: even the gangsters want to do good, act “ethically”, and be friends with everyone. But their selfishness, distrust, and corruption inevitably gets them killed.

The film feels somewhere between “The Godfather” and “Sin City”, with the gangster and film noir elements, and it’s an intelligent and witty film. Really good, overlooked filmd b the Coen Brothers.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Movie Review - The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Director: Matt Shakman
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne, Sarah Niles, Mark Gadiss
 
Description: Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic herald the Silver Surfer.  
 
Review: Genius Dr. Reed Richards can stretch his body, his wife Sue can turn invisible and create force fields, her brother van burst into flames on command, and their best friend is a walking chunk of granite with massive strength. They are the protectors of Eart No. 828. But then an alien creature, all covered in silver, falls from the sky and tells them the world is doomed. At least, unless Reed and Sue sacrifice their unborn baby to the space god Galactus.
 
They have tried before, to put Marvel’s ‘first family’ on the big screen. The first, from 1994, was never released. And since then we had a financially successful version in 2005 that also got a sequel. The dark reboot, with the strange title Fant-4-Stic, wasn’t a success at all. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is definitely the best of the bunch.
 
They didn’t only have to proof that this comic series is filmable at all, but the commercial future of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe rests just a little bit more heavily on its shoulders than on other titles.
 
Director Matt Shakman was also responsible for the most inventive series of the MCU: “WandaVision”. And this film, in my eyes, is great too.
 
The origin story of the Four is quickly rushed through a TV recap. And we can accept that you can still end a superhero movie with a big world-threatening final battle. As long as it’s done right. Shakman and his writers understand it all too well.
 
The film is strong, and this is first and foremost because of the excellent casting of the four main characters. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all fit their roles very well, but it’s Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm who impresses the most. The dynamic between these characters is convincing, in details and grand gestures. There is bickering, teasing, back and forth irritation. But when it comes down to it, they always choose each other and fight together.
 
The villains were portrayed well, especially Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner. Because of Johnny Storm’s  immediate fascination with her, it gives the story a chance to delve a little deeper into her background. Which in terms gives her the necessary depth. Galactus is a bit more one-dimensional then, since he just wants one thing.
 
I highly enjoyed “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”. An excellent superhero film and a nice stepping stone to the next chapter in the MCU.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Title: The Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Genre: Classic/ Fiction
Published: 1951
 
Description: It’s Christmas time and Holden Caulfield has just been expelled from yet another school…
 
Fleeing the crooks at Pencey Prep, he pinballs around New York City seeking solace in fleeting encounters – shooting the bull with strangers in dive hotels, wandering alone around Central Park, getting beaten up and cut down by erstwhile girlfriends. The city is beautiful and terrible, in all its neon loneliness and seedy glamour, its mingled sense of possibility and emptiness. Holden passes through it like a ghost, thinking always of his kid sister Phoebe, the only person who really understands him, and his determination to escape the phonies and find a life of true meaning.
 
Review: In “The Catcher in the Rye” we take a look at society through the eyes of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield, who wanders around new York after being kicked out of school.
 
Story is set in 1950s New York and describes a few days after Holden is expelled from his elite prep school, without telling his parents. The novel is about the struggle of growing up, criticism of adult hypocrisy, and the desire to preserve innocence. Author J.D. Salinger captured this very well. Holden is a complex character who rebels against society and feels deep affection for his younger sister Phoebe, who he feel is the only person who understand him, and his deceased brother Allie.
 
The book has been banned in numerous schools since the 1960s, due to its controversial  content, vulgar language, sexual references, themes of alcohol and prostitution.
 
Although the story read smoothly for the most part, I really struggled in the middle. The pacing was really slow and it took me a while to get through it. This is definitely a character driven book. And it was sad and depressing at times as well.
 
I think it deserves the title of being a classic. The themes that are featured in the book were captured well. But because of the struggle I had in that middle part, it’s not going to be a favorite.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Judge

Director: David Dobkin
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. Robert Duvall, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Leighton Meester, Dax Shepard, David Krumholtz, Sarah Lancaster

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 33: A FILM WITH ROBERT DOWNEY JR.
 
Description: Big-city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert Duvall), the town’s judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth; along the way he reconnects with his estranged family.

Review: Hank Palmer is the last person to care what others think of him. The unstoppable lawyer tells it like it is. Hank is the kind of person who dares to speak the truth, even if others would rather not hear it. He admits that the white-collar criminals he defends are most likely guilty, and that doesn’t bother him: “Innocent people can’t afford me”.

When he returns to his hometown, after his mother passed, he is confronted with everything he fled back then. The untouchable lawyer from Chicago does care about other people’s opinions. In fact, he appears to be deeply hurt. The difficult and destructive relationship with his father is the reason for his departure, years ago. And now his father, the local judge, is suspected of murder. Hanks tries to uncover the truth, and father and son both grow closer and come into direct conflict with each other.

“The Judge” boasts an impressive cast: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton and Vincent D’Onofrio. The first tow in particular are given plenty of room to shine. Downey Jr. is irritating, moving, unyielding and vulnerable all at once. His comedic talent and timing are beyond question. With Hank Palmer, he manages to portray a decisive but also wounded prodigal son.

Director David Dobkin takes the time to introduce the characters and clarify the relationship with the family. the underlying tension between the father and sons is constantly palpable from the moment Hanks returns.

It is also clever how Dobkin unfolds the story. “The Judge” is above all a relational drama, but it is also a courtroom drama. On top of the flawed father-son relationship, there is the murder allegation, which interact with each other, but beyond that there are even more subplots. And all but one of these subplots I really cared about. I didn’t care about the love interest part of the story. They could have left that out.

The film has well-developed characters, excellent performances, a clever structure, and good suspense. I would recommend “The Judge”.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Review - The Accountant 2

Director: Gavin O’Connor
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons, Cynthia Addai-Robinson
 
Description: Christian Wollf (Ben Affleck) applies his brilliant mind in illegal methods to reconstruct the unsolved puzzle of a Treasury chief’s murder.
 
Review: “The Accountant” came out in 2016. I highly enjoyed it, even rewatched it earlier this year. Ben Affleck is not a favorite of mine, but in “The Accountant” I really loved his performance. Never thought it would ever get a sequel. And after seeing “The Accountant 2”, I believe it didn’t really need on.
An acquaintance of accountant Chris Wolff is murdered while making contact with a female killer. Before his death, he wrote a message on his arm: “find the accountant”. FBI agent Marybeth Medina does just that, but she discovers that Wolff uses very unorthodox methods. When Chris’ brother Braxton joins them, she can no longer handle the situation.

It’s a fairly straightforward story. But the tone of this movie is different from its predecessor. The first film a good, solid thriller. It had my attention from start to finish. It had some humor, but in this second film it has the overhand sometimes. And I didn’t like that. I felt out of place and Chris Wolff felt different as a character as well. This was probably because Jon Bernthal’s Braxton had a bigger part in this story. And although I love Bernthal, it no longer felt like Wolff’s story. It was just another action thriller.    

The action sequences are very strong. Those were probably the best parts of the film. But overall, I prefer the first film and would’ve been fine with the story being left there. You can easily watch this film without having seen the first, but I would recommend you to watch “The Accountant” and skip the sequel. A shift in tone can work in your favor, but here it did the opposite.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - Heartstopper: Volume 4 by Alice Oseman

Title: Heartstopper Volume 4
Author: Alice Oseman
Genre: Graphic Novel/ LGBTQ+/ Romance
Published: 2021
 
Description: Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but noe they’re officially boyfriends. Charlié beginning to feel ready to say thos three little words: I love you.
 
Nick’s been feeling the same, but he’s got a lot on his mind – not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.
 
As summer turns into autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means.
 
Review: The fourth installment in the “Heartstopper” series. An in depth story of love, friendship and mental health. This book is a little heavier then the previous three, but I praise Alice Oseman for it.
 
In “Heartstopper: Volume 4” we follow Nick and Charlie, whose relationship is blossoming. But they face new challenges. Including Nick coming out to his dad and Charlie’s mental health. An eating disorder and self-harm to be more specific. Nick notices something is wrong with Charlie, but Charlie doesn’t talk about it. He feels like he cannot talk about it with his family, and Nick is trying to find a way to help him.
 
Dealing with a complex theme as this is difficult enough, let along in a graphic novel for young adults. Alice Oseman dealt with this in a beautiful way and manages to capture the essence of it. The books is realistic and tells a hopeful message. And despite the heavy topics, the story is accessible and easy to read.
 
This fourth book is my favorite in the series so far. It made me so emotional, I felt so many emotions while reading this story. Charlie and Nick are wonderful characters, together and apart. And I can’t wait to read the final installment.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Late Night

Director: Nisha Ganatra
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Mindy Kaling, Emma Thompson, John Lithgow, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Denis O’Hare, Max Casella, Paul Walter Hauser, John Reynolds, Luke Slattery, Ike Barinholtz, Amy Ryan
 
Description: A late night talk show host (Emma Thompson) suspects that she may soon lose her long-running show.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 32: A FILM WITH EMMA THOMPSON
 
Review: Many late night talk shows have a rigid structure: an opening monologue in which the news is discussed in a humorous way, followed by a sketch or light-hearted interlude, and finally, a famous guest is welcomed and a pleasant conversation is held. At the start of “Late Nate”, Katherine Newbury’s program has lost some of its appeal after twenty-eight years. The station manager is dissatisfied with the declining ratings and therefore want to replace the host. However, Katherine is not the type to agree to this without a fight, so she decides to get her talk show back on track. She has a long way to go, because she knows only one of her writers by name, and none of them know her as a pleasant person to work with.

Her writer’s team, consisting of white men only, has just expanded with Molly. She is inexperienced, the newcomer, but has some fresh ideas.

Mindy Kaling, who stars as Molly, is also the writer of the film. It’s likely she drew some inspiration from “The Devil Wears Prada”, there are many similarities. But this is more an observation than a criticism. Kaling’s script takes a slightly different route in enough places, and Emma Thompson, as Katherine, is hardly inferior to Mery Streep as the cold boss. In fact, where Streep often veered toward a cartoonish performance, Thompson manages to keep her character within human limits. This is thanks in large part to John Lithgow’s wonderful performance as her husband.

What also helps is that, despite its subject matter, “Late Night” does not necessarily try to be a full-blooded comedy. Not that there is nothing to laugh about, but it aims more for a smile than for loud laughter. For the main character, humor is a fairly serious craft and therefore not something you can just whip up in a moment of cheerfulness. What I also loved, is that the romantic storyline is very far in the background, almost non-existent. Which is a fresh take as well, it’s not predictable that way
I was surprised about how much I enjoyed “Late Night”, but thanks to the great writing by Mindy Kaling and strong performances by her, Thompson and Lithgow, turn “Late Night” in a delightful comedy.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Movie Review - Companion

Director: Drew Hancock
Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Rupert Friend, Harvey Guillen
 
Description: A weekend getaway with friends at a remote cabin turns into a chaos after it’s revealed that one of the guests is not what they seem.
 
Review: “Companion” is a crazy genre mix full of plot twists and ingenious jokes. So it goes without saying that the film is best enjoyed without any prior knowledge.
 
A group of young people go away for the weekend to a remote house, where things don’t go as planned. The sweet, somewhat naïve Iris is tagging along with her new boyfriend Josh to spend it with his friends. It becomes clear early on that the film is set in a near future. AI has taken off an become an integral part of society. Josh has a self-driving car, that is operated by his voice. The on-board computer does the rest. It takes a bit longer to realize that there is more than a hint of unease in the relationship between Iris and Josh. While she idealizes their relationship as a model of romantic perfection, he is more of a rough-and-ready type. When Irisi indicates that she is a little nervous about meeting his his friends, who don’t really like her, Josh dismisses her concerns with a lighthearted ‘everything will be fine, just don’t be weird’.   
 
The tone is set for the weekend when they arrive and here to come are many plot twists. And when you think there can not be anymore surprises, there are. Jack Quaid is really good I his role, as a bit of a jerk to the mostly likeable characters he usually plays. But a round of applause for Sophie Thatcher. What a wonderful performance!
 
I really loved this film, it’s unique and original and just kept surprising. And Thacher really stole the show. But please, go see this film without watching the trailer.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica

Title: Tender is the Flesh
Author: Augustina Bazterrica
Genre: Horror/ Dystopia/ Fiction
Published: 2017
 
Description: Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans – though no one calls them that anymore.
 
His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “transition”. Now, eating human meat – “special meat”- is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignment, processing.
 
Then one day he’s given a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost – and what might still be saved.
 
Review: Augustina Bazterrica’s “Tender is the Flesh” is a dystopian novel that offers a grim view of a world where a virus has rendered animal meat unfit for consumption, leading to the normalization of human flesh as a food source.
 
The story is set in a convincing, alternative world where human flesh is the norm. The author creates a compelling and oppressive story by detailing the gruesome details of the meat industry. It’s realistic, because she describes it as it goes with animals, but replaces them with people. The book encourages reflection on the morality of human consumption, the dehumanization of others and the consequences of normalizing barbaric practices.
 
The plot is well constructed, with an unexpected twist. But the characters were the only problem for me. They never really grabbed me, didn’t find them interesting enough.
 
“Tender is the Flesh” is definitely not a book for everyone and I wouldn’t recommend it to just everyone either. It’s gruesome, shocking, gross, very descriptive. It’s one of the most disturbing books I have ever read. Not for the weak stomach.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

80s Movie Review - Spies Like Us

Director: John Landis
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 1985
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase    
 
Description: Two bumbling government employees (Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd) think they are U.S. spies, only to discover that they are actually decoys for Nuclear War.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 31: A FILM FROM 1985
 
Review: Comedy legends Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd play CIA office employees who, to their delight, are assigned a real spy mission: they have to track down a secret missile installation in Russia. In reality the duo is just a distraction for the real spies.

As is usually the cast in production featuring (former) stars of the sketch show “Saturday Night Live”, this good natured comedy offers a mix of inspired and particularly silly jokes. It’s slapstick comedy, some jokes that would not be acceptable nowadays. It was still funny, but director John Landis and both Chase and Ayrkroyd have made better films.

Rating: 3/ 5