Oldies Movie Review - Steamboat Willie

Director: Ub Iwerks
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 7 minutes
Year: 1928
Starring: Walt Disney, Charlotte Jamquie

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 34: A DISNEY ANIMATION
 
Description: Mickey Mouse si a mischievous deckhand on a riverboat that is under the command of the tyrannical Captain Pete.

Review: Let me just start with the fact that “Steamboat Willie” doesn’t stand the test of time when it comes to the themes and content.

“Steamboat Willie” is about Mickey Mouse who works on a riverboat, for a tyrannical captain. On this boat, he decided to make the best of it, by playing pranks and making music.

The animation itself is great, I love the black and white, old-school Mickey. But content-wise, this is just something you can’t laugh about these days. Am I the only one that thinks Mickey Mouse is kind of a dick in this short film? I mean, he pulls a gooses neck to make it sing and pulls and kicks baby pigs away from their mother, so he can use the pig as an accordion.

Style-wise, I like it, content-wise I hate it. So almost impossible to rate.

Rating: 2,5/ 5
 

Book Review - Final Girls by Riley Sager

Title: Final Girls
Series: -
Author: Riley Sager
 
Description: Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout's knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media's attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

 That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy's doorstep. Blowing through Quincy's life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa's death come to light, Quincy's life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam's truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.
 
Review: The term final girl comes from the horror genre. The last woman to survive a massacre. Quincy, Sam and Lisa are all final girls, they all survived their own worst nightmares, as the last girl standing. Because of their past, they are forever linked to each other.
 
Quincy is the main character in our story, we follow it mainly through her eyes. She has picked up her life, lives together with Jeff and has her own baking blog. Quincy is seemingly living a happy life. When she hears that Lisa, one of the other final girls, dies under suspicious circumstances, third final girl Sam is suddenly on Quincy’s doorstep. She has to admit that she actually barely knows Sam and Lisa. Should she trust Sam? Or can there be only one final girl?
 
“Final Girls” is Riley Sager’s debut thriller. I loved the two other books I read written by him, so I was very excited about this book and had high expectations as well.
 
Chapters in the book take place alternately in the present and past. The first 2/3 of the book is really slow, nothing really happens and it’s very repetitive. And I predicted the ‘big twist’ early on in the book. Even though Sager juggled around a handful of red herrings throughout, the actual reveal was disappointing.
 
Out of the three Riley Sager books I read, I only disliked one, so I will continue on reading his books. Because he is such a skillful thriller writer and I like his style. I just didn’t enjoy “Final Girls” that much, because it wasn’t as interesting and captivating as the other books I read by him.
 
Rating: 2,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Under the Banner of Heaven (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Number of episodes: 7
Year: 2022
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Denise Gough, Gil Birmingham, Billy Howle     

Description: A devout detective’s (Andrew Garfield_ faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder seemingly connected to an esteemed Utah family’s spiral into LDS fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.

Review: “Under the Banner of Heaven” tells the true story of the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her young daughter Erica. This horrific event took place against the backdrop of the Mormon faith, and the series shows us how fundamentalists wish to take the world of God especially “literally” when it benefits their own desires. When detective Jeb Pyre investigates the murder and sees how his faith is abused, he begins to doubt the Mormon community and his rock-solid faith in it.

This seven=part miniseries manages to unfold a complex psychological drama at an even pace. Jeb and his partner, Bill Taba, discover bit by bit who is driving the madness. Andrew Garfield convincingly portrays Jeb’s inner struggle. Bill offers some level-headedness and humor to compensate, making him a much-needed sidekick. The dynamic between the two is very interesting, but underlit.

At the beginning of the series, the focus is mostly on the life of the murdered Brenda. She is portrayed as a woman who will not let anyone tell her what she can and cannot do. She is a firm believer, but refuses to simply conform to bossy men and the entrenched patriarchy. Brenda has her own dreams and ambitions and stands by the other women in the Lafferty family. Daisy Edgar-Jones gives Brenda both strength and vulnerability, making her a nuanced and equally sympathetic character.

Then there are the Lafferty brothers. Throughout the series it becomes clear who played what role in the drama that unfolded. Strong is how seemingly good people slowly turn into monsters. Although religion condones their actions, it is a misplaced sense of power that really drives them. In doing so, the series does not condemn strict believers and religion, when it easily could have. It does, however, strongly show how a religious community can hold its hands over people who commit bad acts for the sake of its reputation.

The nuance the series brings to these issues makes you want to keep watching. Jeb is so sympathetic, the viewer can easily imagine the appeal of a solid faith, but also how its faltering can turn your whole life upside down. How Jeb deals with this is enough to hold the attention, and trying to find out what happened to Brenda. Even though the series is a slow burn.

In the end, Under the Banner of Heaven brings everything together nicely. There is a good balance between Jeb's disillusionment and the hopeful twist that is ultimately attached to the tragedy. The viewer is challenged to think about faith and crime and what the connection between them is. Above all, however, it is a deeply human story in which inhumane acts ensure that at times you are really grabbed by the throat.

TV Show Review - The Boys (Season 3)

Season: 3
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2022
Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Anthony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott, Jessie T. Usher, Jensen Ackles, Paul Reiser, Colbie Minifie, Claudia Doumit, Giancarlo Esposito, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capon, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell     

Description: A group of vigilantes sets out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers.

Review: “The Boys” are back, and it takes another stab at all the insanity of the previous two seasons. The series still manages to strike the right (and sometimes painful) chord in a hilarious, satirical way. This third season is gory and never before, but also has the strongest emotional core. Layered, sharp and at times moving.

It begins with a Butcher we haven’t seen before: sober. Hughie working for the FBSA in order o do something against the supes from the inside in a more normal way. In short, the Boys are no more. Still, the superheroes manage to fuck it up well again in the eyes of the member of the Boys and yet soon find each other again.

Still it is abundantly clear that Homelander is the greatest danger. Seeking validation, but never more broken and dangerous, he enters the field of supervillain with confident strides with threats to wipe out entire states. Actor Anthony Starr has never been as scary as he is in this season. I haven’t hated a character as much as Homelander, since Joffrey in “Game of Thrones”.

The two main storylines are that of an increasingly unstable Homelander and that of Butcher who thinks he has found a weapon that can work agains his threat. In addition, there are about sic subplots that “The Boys” also juggle. Extraordinary, it manages to keep them all interesting. Extremely clever and above all unprecedentedly efficient.

Of course there is also the necessary satirical moments based on real life. For example, cancel culture is riduled, Black Lives matter and the LGBTQ+ community are discussed and even a Pepsi commercial is imitated almost exactly. There is also the obvious reference to Trump supporters among the fans of Homelander. So every episode is crammed with references, social commentary and satire.

The biggest newcomer in season three is Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy, who is truly a highlight. Seeing him as a hero for many season in the TV-show “Supernatural”, he now plays a supervillain. Just as sleezy and fake as Homelander, only more old-fashioned. The characters of Butcher, Black Noir and A-Train get more depth.

“The Boys” does it again, it seems like the show is getting better by the season.

Movie Review - Prey

Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Horror
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Trush, Julian Black Antelope, Stefany Mathias
 
Description: The origin story of the Predator in the world of the Comache Nation 300 years ago. Naru (Amber Midthunder), a skilled warrior, fights to protect her tribe against one of the first highly-evolved Predators to land on Earth.

Review: Most will remember the first “Predator” movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger from 1987. And most will also remember the second film with Danny Glover. There were the crossover movies, “Alien Vs. Predator” and “Alien Vs. Predator: Requim”. In 2010 there was “Predators” and in 2018 “The Predator”. Where the first film is just pure nostalgia and one my favorite actions films and the direct sequel and the 2010 version were also really good. The rest was kind of crap. “Prey” falls right in the middle of it all.

It's time for an origin story and it takes place about 300 years earlier, on a Comache Indian reservation. Naru is a young warrior who wants to prove herself to her family, especially her brother, as a good hunter and warrior. When she almost succeeds in killing a mountain lion, she is brought home unconscious by her brother. But something bigger and more dangerous is out there and Naru is determined to fight it.

The film looks beautiful. The landscapes, the look of Predator, especially the night scene during the final fight is gorgeously filmed. The story itself is pretty straightforward and follows a familiar pattern, but does keep you enthralled for the entire running time. It is a pretty brutal film though, not for the faint of heart.

I love the idea of a female lead and Amber Midthunder, who pays Nary, does a fine job. And even though that final battle looks gorgeous, it’s not really credible, thinking of how though it was for someone of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s size to beat Predator. But that aside, “Prey” is a solid film that I really enjoyed. Better then the crappy “Predator” movies and less than the other three I mentioned before.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - I'm Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjørk

Title: I’m Travelling Alone
Series: Holger Munch & Mia Krüger # 1
Author: Samuel Bjørk
 
Description: A six-year-old girl is found in the Norwegian countryside, hanging lifeless from a tree with a jump rope around her neck. She is dressed in strange doll’s clothes. Around her neck is an airline tag that says “I’m travelling alone”. A special homicide unit in Oslo re-opens with veteran police investigator Holger Munch at the helm. Holger’s first step is to persuade the brilliant but haunted investigator Mia Krüger to come back to the squad. She’s been living on an isolated island, overcome by memories of her past. When Mia views a photograph of the crime scene and spots the number 11 carved into the dead girl’s fingernail, she knows this is only the beginning.
 
Review: Samuel Bjørk is a Norwegian thriller writer and “I’m Travelling Alone” is his debut novel. This book was already a resounding success when it was released in Norway. And this is an excellent debut.
 
We follow police investigator Holger Munch, who is working on the case of a six-year-old girl found dead, hanging on a tree with a note around her neck that says “I’m Travelling Alone”. He calls the help of Mia Krüger, who has been living a life of isolation. She discovers that the girl has the number 1 carved into one of her fingernails, realizing this is just the beginning.
 
“I’m Travelling Alone” is a well written book, has interesting characters and a good story. This book took me forever to finish. I’m a slow reader and the pace of this book is really slow as well. It didn’t feel like a page-turner, even though this book had a lot of elements I look for in a thriller.
 
Holger Munch and Mia Krüger are both flawed characters, very interesting to read about, they felt like real people. The have depth and are really explored. Mia reminded me a bit of Lisbeth Salander from the “Millenium”-series.
 
I really liked “I’m Travelling Alone” and it is almost hard to believe this is a debut novel. This is the first in a series and I might pick up more books in the future. For fans of Scandinavian thrillers, this is a must-read.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - Space Jam: A New Legacy

Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Genre: Family/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Animation
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Sonequa Martin-Green, Sarah Silverman
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 33: A RAZZIE-AWARS WINNING MOVIE
 
Description: A rogue artificial intelligence (Don Cheadle) kidnaps the son of fames basketball player LeBron James, who then has to work with Bugs Bunny to win a basketball game.

Review: Those who saw “Space Jam” (1996) in the cinema as a kid may still get warm feelings now at the thought of that wacky game of basketball. At the time, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes enlisted the help of one man: Michael Jordan, who was considered by friend and foe alike to be the best basketball player of all tim. It’s pure nineties nostalgia. At least for some. Indeed, it is quite conceivable that many young people today will look at this goofy mix of animation and live-action with a different, perhaps even pitying eye.

A lot has changed since then. On the one hand, film techniques have advances enormously, on the other hand, the audience itself nowadays demands more and more stimuli and sensation. The generation that grew up with mobile phones and I-Pads is generally easily distracted, so it’s best to bombard them with as many flashy images and hip music possible, right?

If that’s what you’re looking for, “Space Hame: A New Legacy” is right for you. For the most part, the film is densely packed with visual fireworks and a pumping soundtrack, but unfortunately the compliments will end there.

The film is packed with movie and TV references. At first, it’s fun to see popular franchises like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones pass you. But it quickly becomes an overkill and it is way too much. It even starts the become annoying. It looks like a big advertisement. The fact that characters like Pennywise and the gentleman from “A Clockwork Orange” are standing on the sideline of a basketball game cheering, feels really weird.

The acting across the board is terrible. Even Don Cheadle, an Oscar-nominated actor, doesn’t impress and he feels out of place. And LeBron James… lets just put it this way: he is a great basketball player.

I don’t even know why this sequel is even called “Space Jam”, because it’s not set in space or stars creatures from outer space. The only space-related character is Marvin the Martian, and he is hardly in the movie. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is just an uninspired cash-grab. And even though the first “Space Jam” wasn’t a masterpiece, at least it was entertaining and is rewatchable. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is just a bad movie.

Rating: 2/ 5

Book Review - Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with a Fresh Bite by Various Authors

Title: Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with a Fresh Bite
Series: -
Author: Zoraida Córdova, Natalie C. Parker, Samira Ahmed, Dhonielle Clayton, Tessa Gratton, Heidi Heilig, Mark Oshiro, Julie Murphy, Rebecca Roanhorse, Laura Ruby, V.E. Schwab, Kayla Whaley
 
Description: Eleven diverse vampire stories from YA leading voices. In this collection, you’ll find stories about lurking vampires of social media, rebellious vampires hungry for more than just blood, eager vampires coming out, and other bold, breathtaking dangerous, dreamy, eerie, iconic, powerful creatures of the night.
 
Review: It’s always difficult to rate an anthology book, but I always do it the same way. Rank each story and then take the average rating as my final one. And that’s the way to review them too, one story at a time.
 
The most important reason these stories stand out: the vampires aren’t stereotypical and neither are the vampire hunters. They are all tales with a fresh take on the genre, or fresh bite in this case.
 
Seven Nights for Dying by Tessa Gratton
A good start to the anthology. We meet a teenage girl who wants to become a vampire. It’s her choice, she doesn’t get dragged into it and then has to deal with the fact of being a vampire. The story deals with grief, the death of a parent. Over the course of seven nights, she gets to decide if she want to become a vampire. 3/ 5
 
The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse
This was my favorite story in the book. It’s atmospheric and haunting. It had major “The Lost Boys” vibes, one of my favorite vampire movies. In this story, when you sing the son of the boys from Blood River, you’ll summon them and you’ll end up with a choice to make. These are not the dreamy and cheesy vampires you know from most YA-books. I loved this story. The only story I gave a perfect score. 5/ 5
 
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy
This story is about a young vampire slaying cheerleader. Sound familiar right, Buffy anyone? Her family is in charge of protecting the town from vampires and it focuses on the slayer. She isn’t your stereotypical vampire slayer though, in character and how she looks are describes. That part I liked. Overall, this story was not that interesting and I believe it was the shortest story of them all. 2,5/ 5
 
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig
This story has some Victorian vibes. We’ve all heard the tales of people being buried alive by mistake. It’s the whole reason why some plots had bells on the, back in the day. This story plays with that concept, only there’s a twist. I enjoyed it, it was spooky and had a historical touch. 3/ 5
 
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed
This was the sassiest story. And where most people loved it, I kinda didn’t. It felt out of place and I just couldn’t get into it. It had a comedic touch, but I just didn’t feel it. 1,5/ 5
 
In Kind by Kayla Whaley
The story follows a girl who has been murdered by her father, who believes he killed her out of mercy, because she was ill. Her body goes missing and she is turned into a vampire. She wants revenge on her father for what happened to her. I have mixed feelings about this story, both the girl and her father had their reasons and in a way you could side with either one of them. Both aren’t fully right or wrong. 3/ 5
 
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. parker
This is probably the most modern vampire stories in this collection, written by the editors of the book. The vampire herself is pretty classic, but she is using Instagram, hiding the fact that she is a vampire. She has befriended a human on social media an the human girl decides to throw her a surprise party. She doesn’t know that her friend is a vampire. I liked it, a modern tale of an ancient vampire. This sounded like a story I would hate, but I highly enjoyed this. 3,5/ 5
 
Bestiary by Laura Ruby
This was perhaps the most interesting story of them all. Instead of being a stereotypical vampire, Jude still has the thirst for blood but she also has wings that threaten to emerge from her back. A good and horrifying story, one of my favorites. 4/ 5
 
Mirrors, Windows, and Selfies by Mark Oshiro
The format of this story is unique and that’s the main reason it stand out. It’s written in the form of a blog. I think it was the longest story in the book, but I didn’t mind that. It’s a new look on the myth of vampires having no reflection, but combined with a whole world of vampire lore. If the format was standard, so would the story. 3,5/ 5
 
The House of Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton
Forbidden romance anyone? It’s about a black family who are forced to move around and run an apothecary shop. The atmosphere is on point and I really liked how, in this short time, Clayton created a world of immortals and vampires with such depth. But the forbidden romance thing has been done better. 3/ 5
 
First Kill by V.E. Schwab
Another story that had Buffy-vibes, but then done way better. This story is also told from the perspective of a vampire slayer, who falls in love with a vampire. It’s a LGBTQ-story as well, which I found wonderful. This is the kind of forbidden romance I was talking about earlier. My second favorite story of the book. 4,5/ 5
 
The books has, as any anthology book, hits and misses. I really liked that all the stories had a different take on vampires, each in their own unique way. For people who are sick of reading about emo-vampires, pick this up.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

TV Show Review - Better Call Saul (Season 6)

Season: 6
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 13
Year: 2022
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorne, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Giancarlo Esposito, Mark Margolis, Tony Dalton, Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston

Description: The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) in the time before he established his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Review: The sin that many film and television makers commit when making prequels, us putting the familiar characters in mortal danger. It’s an empty way of cheating suspense, because the story is set in the past, we know in advance that these characters are going to survive. “Better Call Saul”, thankfully” has pretty much never been guilty of this. In this final season, everything falls neatly into place.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!

The opening of the final season differs from that of the previous five seasons. Instead of black-and-white images showing what the absconding Jimmy McGill, better known as Saul Goodman, is up to, a different kind of prologue immediately picks up after the cliffhanger of season five. what concerns Jimmy after the events of “Breaking Bad” is not addressed untiol a later episode.

Just as the creators know their audience by avoiding life-threatening scenes, they also know that fans expected the timeline to collide with the perils of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in this final season. It does, but not in the way we thought it would. In theory, it’s interesting that the two storylines will intertwine, but in practive that would take away from the focus of the series. Which, therefore, thankfully stays with Jimmy.

SO once he’s at the point where the world to know him as Saul Goodman, the creators for the most part take us into the “present” where we see what he’s made of as Gene. As manager of a cinnamon roll bakery in a mall, he kept a low profile for a long time but in the last season, a random passerby recognized him from the commercials of his lawyer days. Is Gene the version of Jimmy who has learned from his mistakes? Or is he creeping back into the role of Slippin’ Jimmy, the con man who gets away with it more often than not?

The biggest question that surfaced years ago is how his wife Kim Wexler fits into the picture. She seems to be the linchpin of Jimmy’s life, so where will she be the moment he becomes Walter Whites lawyer? This final season finally provides an answer to that, revealing how (un)important she really is to him. In addition, we also memorably learn the conclusion of the chronic bashing of Howard Hamlin, Jimmy and Kim’s former boss who has been the target of their harassment since they left.

As it always does in this world, actions have their consequences. They shaped Jimmy into who is was and who he is. As with its predecessor, at many points in “Better Call Saul” the tension was incredibly high, but the pace was always slow. This continues in a final episode that doesn’t rely on sensation or action, but keeps you captivated by leaving you wondering. Where does this end? What’s his plan?

The season flies by thanks to the usual top-notch acting and the sleek cinematography that regularly recalls the visual work of the Coen Brothers. There was once a rumor that the spin-off series about Saul Goodman was going to be a comedy series, but it’s a blessing that the creators stuck to their established style.

Unlike Walter White, Jimmy McGill continually switches paths in life. Somewhere he wants to be free of his shenanigans, but somehow it’s in his nature. He is constantly in the middle of good and bad.
Like “Breaking Bad”, “Better Call Saul” is one of the few shows that has no single bad season, it’s solid throughout. I loved the show, hated that it had to end, but it ended perfectly. And many questions we had Saul Goodman, after “Breaking Bad”, were answered. The circle is complete and I couldn’t be happier with the result.

Movie Review - Lightyear

Director: Angus MacLane
Genre: Science Fiction/ Animation/ Family/ Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, James Brolin, Peter Sohn, Dale Soules, Uzo, Aduba, Bill Hader,
 
Description: While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg (James Brolin) who are attempting to steal his fuel source.

Review: In 1995, audiences were introduced to “Toy Story”, in which lead roles were played by toy cowboy Woody and toy astronaut Buzz Lightyear. It was the beginning of a four-part series that concluded in 2019. Or so it seemed. This year, Buzz gets to appear in “Lightyear”. But not as a toy or puppet. According to the opening titles, “Lightyear” is the film that inspired the creation of toy Buzz Lightyear. In other words, this is a movie in the world of “Toy Story”, a movie within a movie.

In the distant future, Buzz is a respected Space Ranger who, together with comrade Alisha Hawthorne, crashes on a planet. The only way to escape is by using a crystal that can take the ship to hyper-speed. Daredevil Buzz is crazy enough to try it, but encounters a problem. Every time he wants to reach hyper=speed, he travels four years through time. At least, his surroundings age four years. He doesn’t. with each escape attempt, time literally slips through his fingers.

Certainly don’t try to fathom the contrived time-travel story; it’s mainly designed to put pressure on Buzz’s stubbornness. He wants nothing more than to escape from this planet, but he pays a high price for it. Losing four years each time is quite something. Alisha gets older, meets her life partner, has a son, a grandchild… Life just goes on. When will buzz realize that sometimes letting go is the best option?

Noe of it has to get super-serious, either, and fortunately “Lightyear” offers the necessary humor. There’s a robot who makes map-reading mistakes, Buzz’s vanity is a rewarding source of jokes, and then there’s robot cat Sox who acts as Buzz’s mental coach. Let’s also not forget that there are plenty of reference to “Toy Story”(like the evil Zurg, “to infinity and beyond” and the quote at the beginning of the movie “there’s seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere”, which I happen to use on a daily basis).

“Lightyear” doesn’t possess the brilliance of its four predecessors and neatly ticks off the boxes of what a Pixar title should meet. Still, it’s a delightful film that I really enjoyed.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Persuasion

Director: Carrie Cracknell
Genre: Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis, Henry Golding, Richard E. Grant
 
Description: Eight years after Anne Elliot (Dakota Johnson) was persuaded not to marry a dashing man of humble origins, they meet again. Will she seize her second chance at true love?

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 32: A COSTUME DRAMA

Review: Once again, it’s time for a Jane Austen film adaptation. This time it’s “Persuasion”. Like another recent Austen adaptation, “Emma”, this new incarnation has added a dash of extra humor and sarcasm.

Anne Elliot is still in pain after eight years, not being able to marry her lover because he wasn’t rich enough for her family. The he shows up again, but of course the past is still between them. Anne interferes with herself in conveying these entanglements to the audience, breaking the fourth wall. Not only dies she, for example, tell the audience who the family members are while looking into the camera, but she frequently casts telling glances at the viewers.

The downside of such a distinct is that, alongside previous films and series that employ this kind of device, it quickly becomes apparent that this trick only works if it is applied properly. Now it is merely a tiresome distraction. The dialogues that Anne delivers to catch up with the viewer mostly feel as if the information of the novel is most easily conveyed in this way. The winks towards the camera are just a gimmick, no deeper meaning is attached to them.

“Persuasion” unsuccessfully hitchhikes on the success of other costume dramas. The costumes are fine, but don’t stand out. The dialogues are a somewhat awkward mixture of old-fashioned language and new-fangled expressions. As a result, “Persuasion” seems to be stumbling on two thoughts. This is supported by a pretty standard piano soundtrack and closes with a song by Birdy that manages to evoke more emotion than the rest of the film.

A major problem is the chemistry between Anne and her returned lover Fredrick. Dakota Johnson is a bit out of touch with the movie world due to the choice to have her constantly break the fourth wall, making it hard to sympathize with her. Cosmo Jarvis does not convince with his acting, and looks merely sad, tormented and wooden for most of the film. Henry Golding as Anne’s cousin, stands out much more beside him with his playful, striking personality. But he’s only a side character, with not nearly enough screentime.

Despite attempts to shake things up a bit, “Persuasion” fails to make the viewer sympathize with Anne’s ups and downs. Comedy and the more serious emotional charge do not mix here. So this one can go on the pile of book to movie adaptations we didn’t need. There are better adaptations of this book.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Book Review - His & Hers by Alice Feeney

Title: His & Hers
Series: -
Author: Alice Feeney
 
Description: When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect of his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.
 
Review: There are at least two sides to every story: Yours and mine. Ours and theirs. His and hers. And that means someone is always lying.
 
In Blackdown, nothing really ever happens until a woman is murdered in a parking lot. Journalist Anna Andrews is reluctant when she has to report on this police investigation. Detective Jack Harper suspects Anna’s involvement in the case, but eventually becomes a suspect himself. One of them is not telling the truth, but who?  
 
This is the first time reading a book by Alice Sweeney, hearing a lot of great things about her. And “His & Hers” didn’t disappoint. Each chapter brings us something new about the characters and the case. They are told from three different perspectives: Him, detective Jack Harper, her, Anna Andrews, and the killer. I listened to the audiobook of this, which I can highly recommend. The killer's voice is distorted, so you will not know up until the end, who it is and whether the killer is a man or a woman.
 
Because the chapters are fairly short, it has cliffhangers at the end of each chapter and there is tension at all times, the book is a quick and easy read. As the story progresses a few things become clear, but mainly you get more and more questions. Piece by piece you can eventually fit all the pieces into the puzzle and the story stays exciting until the very end. And nothing is what it seems. Even at times you think you have figured it out, you haven’t.
 
Alice Feeney manages to captivate the reader from beginning to end. the suspense is continuous. And even when you think it’s finished, Feeney still manages to blow you away.
 
Even though this is not Feeney’s first book, it was my first of hers and I’m really excited to read more of her work. She is an incredibly good thriller writer and I’m curious what other stories she has up her sleeve. I loved “His & Hers”. Highly recommend.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Belfast

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 98 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Jude Hill, Jamie Dornan, Catriona Balfe, Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds, Lewis McAskie
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 31: AN OSCAR-WINNING MOVIE
 
Description: A young boy (Jude Hill) and his working-class Belfast family experience the tumultuous late 1960s.

Review: Actor and director Kenneth Branagh made a lot of films lately: from the flopped “Artemis Fowl” this his pompous Agatha Christie film “Death on the Nile”, which wasn’t very successful either but at least enjoyable. But with “Belfast”, Branagh really steals my heart. He based it on his own childhood in a working-class street in Belfast, where everyone knows each other and grandma and grandpa are always around.

The film is set in the late 1960s, filmed almost completely in black in white, with minimalist sets and plenty of natural light. Branagh manages to sublimely translate his memories to the silver screen.

Branagh knows how to direct his actors to great heights, as the actors fir seamlessly into his Northern Island lane. Child actor Jude Hill is the obvious heart of the film, as Buddy who is sincere, wise and naïve at the same time. And smaller roles are for “Pop” and “Gran”, played by veteran actors Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench, who were both nominated for Academy Aways for their roles. Branagh himself won an Oscar for “Most Original Screenplay”, which is well-deserved.

It's wildly clever that “Belfast” manages to create melancholy and nostalgia for a time and place that, for most viewers, is not in their own past. I loved this film.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - The Maid by Nita Prose

Title: The Maid
Series: -
Author: Nita Prose
 
Description: Molly Gray is not like everyone. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her Gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. She throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect.   
 
Review: Nita Prose’s “The Maid” falls under the genre of ‘cozy mystery’, a fairly new genre. However, books in this genre have been written for many years, perhaps even count Agatha Christie’s among them.
 
I was so excited to read this book, because I had read so many good reviews. Which always makes it very difficult that, when you’re actually read it yourself and finish it, you’re one of the few that doesn’t like it. So, be ready for an unpopular opinion.
 
The main character is hotel maid Molly, a naïve, and rather unremarkable girl. She enjoys working at the Regency Grand Hotel and loves the grandeur of the hotel. When she is at work, she is who she wants to be, even though no one really takes notice of her. That changes when a murder is committed at the hotel. Molly finds the wealthy Mr. Black dead in his room and she is the main suspect.  
 
“The Maid” starts out good, I always like characters that are a bit unusual or awkward, because so am I. And I really did like Molly. An even though it’s never literally said in the book, she is clearly intended to be an autistic woman, but they made Molly a bit too stereotypical.
 
The story lacks tension and intrigue and besides Molly, there is no real character development in this story. And I hated the ending. The book drags on to long, only to be revealing an anti-climactic and unsatisfying closing of the story.
 
“The Maid” is by no means a badly-written book, I just didn’t enjoy it as much as most.
 
Rating: 2/ 5