Book Review - Eight Setectives by Alex Pavesi

Title: Eight Detectives
Series: -
Author: Alex Pavesi
 
Description: There are rules for murder mysteries. There must be a victim. A suspect. A detective. The rest is just shuffling the sequence. Expanding the permutations. Grant McAllister, a professor of mathematics, once sat down and worked them all out – calculating the different orders and possibilities of a mystery into seven perfect detective stories he quietly published. But that was thirty years ago. Now Grant lives in seclusion on a remote Mediterranean island, counting the rest of his days.

Until Julia Hart, a sharp, ambitious editor knocks on his door. Julia wishes to republish his book, and together they must revisit those old stories: an author hiding from his past, and an editor, keen to understand it.

But there are things in the stories that don’t add up. Inconsistencies left by Grant that a sharp-eyed editor begins to suspect are more than mistakes. They may be clues, and Julia finds herself with a mystery of her own to solve.
 
Review: Thirty years ago, Grant McAllister wrote seven stories that formed the thriller “Murder in White”. Since then, he has lives a secluded life. Young, ambitious editor Julia shows up at his door. She is handling the re-release of the book and want to interview Grant about it.
 
The book starts with a murder mystery story, one of the seven stories McAllister had written. It’s a really good start. But the start was the only thing I really liked about this book. The detectives stories are alternated by the conversations between Grant and Julia, talking about each story in depth. This is a book within a book situation. And when I mostly like this, I really didn’t like it here. Aside from the first story, they were just okay. They all had a different type of twist to them, but none were really groundbreaking.
 
This book is supposed to make the reader think about the murders that happened, trying to solve them themselves. I was not invested at all, an even less in the story of Grant and Julia. I wasn’t enjoying it at all and I didn’t look forward to continuing the book once I had put it down. I finished it merely because I was still waiting for that big WOW. But it never came.
 
I think the set-up of the book is original and it’s well-written, but the stories and the characters didn’t captivate me and I found it boring it times. Wouldn’t recommend.
 
Rating: 2/ 5
 

10s Movie Review - Book Club

Director: Bill Holderman
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Andy Garcia, Craig T. Nelson, Don Johnson, Richard Dreyfuss, Alicia Silverstone, Ed Begley Jr., Wallace Shaw

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 4: A MOVIE WITH A MAINLY FEMALE CAST
 
Description: Four lifelong friends have their lives forever changed after reading “50 Shades of Grey” in their monthly book club.

Review: The modern mature woman isn’t sitting home alone drinking tea surrounded by cats, but she’s active, worldly and has a healthy appetite for love and sex. The classic TV-series “The Golden Girls” already showed us this many years ago.

In “Book Club” we meet four long time friends, who started a book club when they were in college and are still standing strong. Amon them are Diane, who lost her husband a year ago and is now constantly checked on by her overprotective daughters, when she meets a charming pilote that sweeps her off of her feet. Vivian, a successful hotel owner who has never married and has no intention to, until she encounters an old flame. Sharon, a federal judge, who has no love life whatsoever, after her divorce many years ago, when she discovers online dating. And Carol, who has been married for many years and is missing the spark in her relationship. The four women decide to read “50 Shades of Grey” for their book club, which will forever change their lives.

I love stories about book clubs, people talking about books and learning from them in their real life. “50 Shades of Grey” is not the kind of book to read for a book club in my opinion, because it’s so bad. Especially for this group of book veterans. And it feels a bit outdated, they should have done this movie when the books weren’t turned into movies yet (which are equally terrible, probably even worse). That’s why I have always loved “The Jane Austen Book Club”, these people read actual good books and discuss them in depth. In “Book Club” they whole element of the book club is just a fraction of it all. And even though I did enjoy the characters and their individual story, I would have preferred there to be more book discussions between the women. They hardly talk about the book.

They missed the mark on this and it was released at the wrong moment.

Rating: 2 / 5

Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 20

I decided to rewatch my 100 favorite movies of all-time. What those are, you can check HERE. I watch them in random order, there is no rhyme or reason there, just watching those movies I love so much.
 

67/ 100: Knives Out (2019)
That the Agatha Christie formula is still working, proves director and screenwriter Rian Johnson with this ingenious murder mystery that simultaneously honors, mocks and turns the rules of the genre inside out. A successful thriller author who celebrates his 85^th birthday at his mansion, surrounded by family, is found dead. Eccentric sleuth Benoit Blanc arrives to solve this crime. A cleverly written whodunnit that requires at least a second viewing, to see if you spotted the later unraveled clues. HERE is my full review.
 

68/ 100: The Princess Bride (1987)
A grandfather visits his sick grandson and wants to read to him a book. The boy doesn’t think much of it at first. Then a sparkling fairy tale unfolds about a young woman, Buttercup, who no longer believes in love after the man of her dreams goes missing at sea. When she is kidnapped, she meets numerous unusual characters. The film has much to offer: an original take on the genre, enthusiastic performances and a fun story for young and old. One of those romance movies that even men like. Read my full review HERE.
 

69/ 100: Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun is suffering greatly from his breakup with his girlfriend Liz. He doesn’t have much use for his roommate Ed, who is too busy gaming, drinking and hanging around Shaun’s house. Still, Ed proves convenient when residents of a London suburb turn out to be infected by a zombie virus. A brilliant comedy, with a touch of gore. The first in Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s  “Cornetto trilogy”, all directed by Edgar Wright. Check out my review HERE.
 
Still to watch: 31

20s Movie Review - The Good Nurse

Director: Tobias Lindholm
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne

Description: An infamous caregiver (Eddie Redmayne) is implicated in the deaths of hundreds of hospital patients.

Review: “The Good Nurse” paints a poignant portrait of the woman who stepped forward to expose a serial killer, despite the risk she took in doing so. This true story contains a surprising second villain: the hospital business.

The intention was to tell the story of serial killer Charles Cullen without exploiting his victims. The creators were very successful at that. By focusing on nurse Amy Loughren, who was friends with Cullen,  as special aspect of this history is highlighted and a worthy narrative is created for the victims of this killer who had his way for years.

Through a rock-solid performance, Eddie Redmayne confronts us with the uncomfortable reality that serial killers can be among us unseen. Jessica Chastain, who has been a favorite of mine for years, shows once again why she is on that list. She plays the titular good nurse, that stand up for her patients. But it’s more difficult then she thinks, because it becomes extra wrenching when it slowly becomes clear how much responsibility the various hospitals where Charlie worked had in the murders he committed. Very shocking because of the film’s basis in reality. As harrowing as it is, it makes “The Good Nurse” even more suspenseful and the importance of storytelling even clearer.

The tension is palpable until the very end, up to and including the long-awaited confrontation between Amy and Charlie. A very strong thriller, that is captivating from begin ‘till end.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Title: Horrorstör
Series: -
Author: Grady hendrix
 
Description: Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.
To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.
 
Review: Orsk is an Ikea-like store, where strange things seem to be happening overnight. Every morning, the employees find broken furniture and shattered ornaments. Three employees volunteer to a night shift, where they are trying to find out who is vandalizing the store.
 
I’ve been loving horror books more and more, especially when they have a comedic, dark edge to them. “Horrorstör” is very accessible for anyone who hasn’t dipped into the horror genre before.
 
I was able to submerge my mind’s eye into the employee’s environment with ease, since I worked in retail myself and because of the large resemblance to Ikea which most of us have been to once or twice. The book is unconventional in so many ways: the size of the book, spacing of words and sentences, and everything in between. But it read like a fiction should.
 
Because it’s not a very long book, it’s always more difficult to connect with the characters on a deeper level. I did enjoy reading about them. There are not a lot of characters in here, which is a good thing for a shorter novel. The ones that we are introduced to, do have some development, which is very well done in such a short amount of time. Because the story basically takes place over one night. Ruth Anne was probably my favorite character.
 
“Horrorstör” is very fast paces and I found myself racing through this book. And that’s perfect if you’re a slow reader like me. It takes some time for the books to really become eventful and action packed, but because of the ominous atmosphere that is constantly present, you just want to keep reading.
 
This was a highly enjoyable book, I so impressed by Grady Hendrix’ writing style and I’m ready to explore more of his work.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Hours

Director: Stephen Daldry
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Ed Harris, Stephen Dillane, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Miranda Richardson, Claire Danes, Margot Martindale, Jeff Daniels

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 3: AN ANTHOLOGY MOVIE
 
Description: The story of how the novel “Mrs. Dalloway” affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have to deal with suicide in their lives.

Review: Three women. One writes, the other reads and the last lives. The words of Virginai Woolf’s famous book “Mrs. Dalloway” give shape and dimension to their tragic lives. Based on the Pullitzer Prize-winning nover “The Hours” by Michael Cunningham, the story was a valid attempt to illustrate how literature and true life can be connected. And how immortal stories are even when their writers and protagonists die.

The three women who sometimes effortlessly blur into one character in the book are pulled apart for the film in three powerful roles played by Nicole Kidman (as Virginia Woolf), Meryl Streep (as the contemporary New York Carissa Vaughan) and Julianne Moore (as a 1950s housewife. Their fates are shown as they wear the same kind of earrings, and, thanks to ingenious editing, relive or read the same scenes from “Mrs. Dalloway” at the same time.

It is a wondrous conclusion to have to see, almost a century after Mrs. Dalloway lived, that, in Daldry's view, personal freedom is more than ever bound by sexual and familial ties.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - The White Lotus (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Number of episodes: 7
Year: 2022
Starring: Jennifer Coolidge, Aubrey Plaza, Theo James, Michael Imperioli, F. Murray Abraham, Adam DiMarco, Megan Fahy, Will Sharpe, Haley Lu Richardson, Tom Hollander

Description: Set in a resort in Sicily, it follows the exploits of various guests and employees over the span of a week.
 
Review: The first season of this mini-series was a huge success, so they decided to create a second season. Set in Sicily this time. Jennifer Coolidge is the only returning actress. Het character Tanya has ended up in Sicily with her new husband, and once again the tragicomic character seems to attract misfortune and calamity. Her husband does not appreciate her as the diva she is; she ends up needing a group of flamboyant gay men for that. Tanya’s assistant Portia, meanwhile, may be available on call, but must also make herself invisible.

We also mee three generations of American-Sicilian men who have a special relationship with female beauty. Another storyline revolves around Cameron and Ethan, two former college mates, who have found each other again and are constantly testing both each other and each other’s relationships. There are more characters involved, but these are the three main storylines.

“The White Lotus” again proves sublime at portraying interpersonal interactions, awkwardness, misunderstandings, suspicions and the volatility that almost all of his character harbor. The season begins with a corpse, but we have to wait until the final episode to see who ends up floating lifeless in the ocean.

Meanwhile, “The White Lotus” mercilessly fillets human nature, where, as in the first season, you have no idea where it’s all going or will end up. I only missed Murray Bartlett’s character from season one, but overall, I liked this season just as much as the first. And I’m totally in for another series of events at a different White Lotus hotel.

Book Review - Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: Night of the Mannequins
Series: -
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
 
Description: A contemporary horror story where a teen prank goes very wrong and all hell breaks loose: is there a supernatural cause, a psychopath on the loose, or both?
 
Review: The idea than an inanimate but human-looking object could come to life and kill you really scared me. The synopsis for Stephen Graham Jones’ “Night of the Mannequins” really got me excited, even though the description is still a bit vague. The idea of a mannequin coming to life and killing teenagers.
 
WARNING! THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
 
Our main character and first person narrator is Sawyer, a teenager in a group of friends who like to play pranks on each other. Sawyer and his friends found a mannequin and they name him Manny. They think of the perfect prank: dress him up and set him in the movie theater one of his friend works at. But the prank goes wrong, when Sawyer sees Manny get up an walk away.
 
What follows is a story that reads like a slasher film, with lots of weirdly deranged action, a very funny narrative voice, and lots of ambiguity about what exactly is happening to Sawyer and his friends, and whether ot not a mannequin has come to life. A warped perception of what’s real and what’s not. Sawyer is an unreliable narrator, so you never really know whether it’s really happening, it’s in his head or it even is him doing it.
 
“Night of the Mannequins” is a strange book, but it’s definitely worth picking up if you enjoy strange horror themes. It’s a quick read and a good way to discover Stephen Graham Jones’ writing.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Verity by Colleen Hoover

Title: Verity
Series: -
Author: Colleen Hoover
 
Description: Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.
 
Review: Colleen Hoover is know for her New Adult book and with “Verity” she goes in a completely different direction. It’s a thriller, one that will be difficult to put down.
 
Young writer Lowen Ashleigh gets an offer of a lifetime: she is asked to finish successful author Verity Crawford’s popular book series. Verity has been paralyzed since a serious accident and won’t be able to finish the series herself. Lowen will stay with the family for a few days to go over Verity’s notes. Among the documents, Lowen finds an unfinished autobiography, and as she starts reading it, an unpleasant feeling creeps up on her. The more she reads, the more frightened she becomes. Lowen wants to keep the biography hidden, even from Verity’s husband Jeremy.
 
Lowen is a introverted character whose life is complete chaos when she is approached to finish the bestselling books. We get to know her right away. Verity is a mystery, but through her manuscript, we get to know more about her. You will probably feel a tremendously dislike towards Verity. There is constant tension during the time Lowen is staying at the Crawford residence.
 
“Verity” is a unique book that tells an incredibly exciting story. It has some spice in it, which I didn’t mind. But these parts in the book become a bit repetitive as the story develops. This is the only point of criticism, because I loved this book.
 
The twist at the end was really good and it leaves you with a lot of questions at the end. Colleen Hoover manages to catch you off guard an leave you confused. A good book for a book club, it will lead up to discussion. I believe “Verity” is a thriller for readers that are often a bit intimidated by the genre.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - The Menu

Director: Mark Mylod
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Holt, John Leguizamo

Description: A young couple (Anya Taylor-Joy, Nichols Hoult) travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

Review: The story of “The Menu” shows how several groups of wealthy people, pay a generous sum for a unique dining experience. This experience if offered by world-renowned chef Julian Slowik on his private island. One of the guest, Margot, feels out of place. And chef Slowik has some shocking surprising on his menu.

This film is best viewed without knowing too much of the plot. This is such a strong, surprising and disturbing film. Great acting performances by Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes. Not a movie for everyone, because it has you literally yell WTF at the end of it. I loved this film, original and weird, in every good way possible.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Mommy Dead and Dearest

Director: Erin Lee Carr
Genre: Drama/ Domcumentary/ Crime
Runtime: 82 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: -

Description: The murder of Deedee Blanchard by her daughter Gypsy Rose is explored, as well as the circumstances leading up to the event.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 2: A DOCUMENTARY
 
Review: In the year 2015, the lifeless body of Deedee Blanchard was found. She was lying on her bed in a pool of blood and had presumably been dead for several days. There was no trace of Gypsy Rose, her sick daughter. She was later linked to her mother’s death. During the police investigation, it became clear that terrible things were going on inside the walls of the mother and daughter’s home.

Gyspy Rose has always been in and out of the hospital. She doesn’t know any better. But it turns out that she was never sick at all and her mother Deedee kept her sick, by giving her medication she didn’t need and letting her undergo unnecessary operations. Munchausen by Proxy is what Deedee suffers from, and a severe form of it.

It’s a pretty disturbing documentary, hard to understand how someone can do such a thing to child. The documentary itself was pretty straight-forward, the topic was interesting, devastating, shocking and disturbing.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Title: The Song of Achilles
Series: -
Author: Madeline Miller
 
Description: Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.
They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.
 
Review: “The Song of Achilles” is  a world-wide best-selling novel, with is a retelling of the classic “Iliad” by Homer. Author Madeline Miller focuses on the history of Patroclus and Achilles.
 
The young Prince Patroclus is not a handsome, intelligent boy. His father despises and humiliates him whenever he gets the chance, and when Patroclus accidentally kills a boy, he is banished to the court of King Peleus of Phthia.
 
Patroclus, stands out for his deviant behavior and the King’s son Achilles takes him under his wing. A close friendship develops and the shy, awkward Patroclus conceives a deep love for Achilles, who, as the son of the sea goddess Thetis, has divine grace and strength. When Achilles is sent by hi father to the Centaur Chiron to Complete his education, Patroclus follows him and during the years that follow, the two young men become even more than friends and are inseparable. Even Thetis, by marrying off Achilles, fails to drive a wedge between the two lovers.
 
When the beautiful Helen of Sparta runs away with the Trojan prince Paris, the Greeks, by and alliance, are obliged to declare war on Troy. This is the chance for Achilles to claim what has been promised to him by the gods: that he will gain eternal fame and become immortal. Patroclus, the gentle one, however, is not as quick and agile as the formidable Achilles. He does not want to fight, but neither can he let his beloved Achilles go alone. He follows him into battle, and through his actions, the Trojan War gets a fierce conclusion.
 
Madeline Miller has Patroclus, as the first-person narrator, tell the story. We see Achilles through the admiring eyes of Patroclus, who effortlessly draws the reader in to flow of intense feelings. In this way, Miller manages to give the familiar story an entirely new perspective, showing the events from Patroclus’ point of view.
 
As this being a very popular book, I was curious. Many people on social media recommended it to me and I was intrigued. I understand why people love this book, I’m just not one of them. And that’s simply because this book didn’t capture me. Just like high fantasy, this Greek mythology retelling was a big challenge and I found the story had too slow of a pace and dragged at times. I found the character of Patroclus to dependent on Achilles, when he had many good qualities to make it in the world himself. Madeline Miller’s writing is great, this is a very well written story. And I do have a certain interest in Greek mythology. I think I’d rather listen to my brother stories about this subject (he’s a historian) then read about it in a retelling. I’m so happy for all those people who love this book, and I do understand why they do, but sometimes you’re the minority.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - The Pale Blue Eye

Director: Scott Cooper
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 192 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Simon McBurney, Timothy Spall, Toby Jones, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Robert Duvall,
 
Description: A world-weary detective (Christian Bale) is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case – a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allen Poe (Harry Melling).

Review: Augustus Landor arrives anno 1830 at West Point, a remote military academy on the frozen Hudson River. It’s an atmospheric landscape, except that outside the gates a corpse is dangling from a tree. The mystery of “The Pale Blue Eye” loses momentum with each subsequent victim, and the icy setting is especially convincing.

Landor meets Edgar Allen Poe, who in his young adult years spent the winter at West Point. Landor and Poe work together in solving this crime.

Not surprisingly, after the first victim, many follow. During his search for the truth, Landor is tormented by his own demons: he is a widower, and sees before his mind’s eye his disappeared daughter.

The partnership between the elder Landor and the young Poe is by no means trouble-free, especially when Poe becomes obsessed with Lea, a stylish young lady plagued by a rare disease. Seeing Landor and Poe together is and remains somewhat uncomfortable, mainly because the film’s persistently serious tone suites Christian Bale better than his counterpart Harry Melling (best known as cousin Dudley in the Harry Potter-series). His interpretation of Poe’s character feels increasingly forced.

Through its blend of personal drama and occult mystery, “The Pale Blue Eye” ultimately tells two stories. In theory, these stories should complement each other seamlessly, but it eventually breaks up the story and make it overly explanatory. Still the well-kept picture direction and the atmospheric view of a wintry snowy landscape keep the first major film of 2023 engaging for more than two hours.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - God's Own Country

Director: Francis Lee
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Josh O’Connor, Alex Secareanu, Gemma Jones, Ian Hart

Description: Spring. Yorkshire. Young farmer Johnny Saxby (Josh O’Connor) numbs his daily frustrations with binge drinking and casual sex, until the arrival of a Romanian migrant (Alex Secareanu) for lambing season ignites an intense relationship that sets Johnny on a new path.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 1: A MOVIE WITH LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION
 
Review: With his dad had a stroke, the care of the unprofitable family farm falls entirely on the shoulders of John. To escape daily reality, John flees to excessive drinking and anonymous sex. When a seasonal worker from Romania arrives to help out with the lambing of the sheep, he initially lashes out at the stranger. But Gheorge and John develop a beautiful relationship, making John feel new things.

The comparison to Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” comes to mind; a secretly blossoming male love in a world that is homophobic and averse to displaying any feeling whatsoever. “God’s Own Country” us not as tragic, but definitely just as good. It’s a powerful, sendory film with wonderful acting. A film that enchants.

Rating: 4, 5/ 5

TV Show Review - Kaleidoscope (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Action
Number of episodes: 9
Year: 2023
Starring: Giancarlo Esposito, Rufus Sewel, Paz Vega, Jai Courtney, Tati Gabrielle, Rosaline Elbay, Peter Mark Kendall, Niousha Noor, Jordan Mendoza

Description: Centered around the largest heist ever attempted, the vengeance and betrayals that surround it.

Review: The idea behind the new Netflix show “Kaleidoscope” is quite ambitious: namely the viewer can choose the order of the crime series, which would make the viewing experience different for each person. The concept is fantastic, the execution is pretty mediocre.

Before “Kaleidoscope” begins, you get a notification that you get to decide the order of the series. Therefore, the episodes don’t have a number, but a color. And to give viewers a a hand, Netflix has released the series in different sequences. For me the series started with episode Green, for other it can be Blue or Red and so on. Although you should note that White is always the finale.

The story of “Kaleidoscope” is fairly standard: a group of thieves led by Leo Pap want to rob a heavily guarded vault. How they prepare and why Leo has it in for this particular safe is told in these episodes. The final episode is the actual heist. To keep the storylines clear, each episode stand for a time period. Such as seven years before the heist, five week before the heist and the day after the heist.  

For example, in episode yellow you see how Leo puts together his crew, in Green Leo manages to escape from prison, Orange revolves around an FBI agent hunting the group and in Pink you follow the group six months after the heist. As a result, the episodes are fairly self-contained and it matters little whether you start with Leo’s escape or his plan to rob a safe, because the story remains the same. I think it would have worked better if each episode was the story told from different character’s perspectives. This way, it would be more of a puzzle that would eventually come together. And with that, White is the episode you are supposed to finish on, but I believe Pink is the best episode of the series and the perfect ending.

As a result, “Kaleidoscope” is still entertaining enough, but it’s a pretty standard heist story. It has a great concept, but they could have done so much more with it.

Top 10: Favorite Books of 2022

2022 was the year I finally got out of my reading slump. For not having read for quite some time, I finally discovered what I really want to read, explored new genres and authors. I had a great reading year. My goal was 20 books, I ended up reading 33, which is a big deal for me. Here are my favorite books I read this year.

10. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
A book I would have never picked up if I hadn’t read so many great things about it on social media. It’s a memoir from Jennette McCurdy, who got fame because of her role as Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon show “iCarly”. She tells the story of how she never wanted to become an actress, but was forced into it by her mother who wanted nothing more than for Jennette to be famous. It’s an honest, raw and heartbreaking story. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

9. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
I started this series this year and “The Man Who Died Twice” is the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series. We follow a group of septuagenarians who live in an elderly community and have a murder club, where they try to solve cold cases. When people actually get murdered around them, they try to solve it. The characters are so great, I would love to be part of this group. This is a highly enjoyable whodunit and a perfect sequel. Check out my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

8. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
This is the book that got me out of my reading slump. A book I received in a blind book box. Mariana Andros visits her niece Zoe after her friend Tara has gone missing. Zoe goes to Cambridge University and soon Mariane starts suspecting one of Zoe’s professors: Edward Fosca. He is a professor of Greek Tragedy and a very popular man. He even has a group of loyal female followers who themselves the Maidens. I loved the dark academia vibe and the constant tension between Mariana and Fosca. A rock solid mystery thriller. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

7. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
This was one of the surprises this year. I got this in a blind book box and I was so surprised in how good this book was and how much I ended up loving it. It’s about Jake Bonner, a teacher of creative writing and a failed writer. When one of his students shares a plot he’s been writing and Jake later learns he dies, Jake decides to use the plot himself and write a book. It turns out to be a best-selling novel, but someone has found out that the plot this book is based on, isn’t his. The book isn’t the most eventful one I read, but somehow it intrigued me. There is this constant oppressive feeling and Jake’s fear throughout the book kept me invested. There are also chapter where you actually read parts of Jake Bonner’s book. I found this really clever. I was super impressed by Jean Hanff Korelitz’ writing and can’t wait to read more of her work. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

6. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
The second book by Alice Feeney that I read and I loved it. Adam and Amelia are taking a trip to Scotland, were they will be spending the weekend together. Adam is a workaholic screenwriter who suffers from face blindness. While on their vacation, Adam and Amelia realize something is not right. The story is told from three different perspectives: Adam, Amelia and a woman named Robin. There are also chapters that are letters written to Adam by his wife, commemorating several anniversaries of their marriage. This was such a good thriller, so well-crafted. The plot twists were amazing. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

5. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
This was my introduction to Riley Sager. A book that kept me on the edge of my seat at all times. Life hasn’t been particularly kind to Jules Larsen. She was fired, dumped by her boyfriend, no place to live and broke. She stumbles upon an ad for a house sitter, in the Bartholomew building, where the rich and famous live. The amazing salary would solve all of Jules’ problems. And even though it all sounds to good to be true, Jules grabs the opportunity. But strange things are happening in the Bartholomew. The story alternates timelines and when the book started, I was immediately sucked in. And the ending had me speechless, so unexpected and original. Sager became a favorite auto-buy author for me this year. My FULL REVIEW IS HERE.
 

4. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
This book is an enchanting and heartwarming novel that shows that there are always other possibilities. An ode to life. In “Midnight Library” we meet Nora who is overwhelmed by the feeling that she has made wrong choices in her life, disappointing everyone. when she finds herself in the Midnight Library, a place between life and death she gets the chance to see the many ways her life could have turned out differently. Every book she opens takes her to another life. You can read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

3. His & Hers by Alice Feeney
This was the first Alice Feeney book I read and I was blown away by “His & Hers”. 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. Each chapter brought new information and I loved how the book was told from three different perspectives: his, hers and the murderer’s. And the end was so good, never saw it coming. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.
 

2. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
This is the first in a series and a debut novel for Holly Jackson. I’m not very good at keeping up with series, but this one I will definitely continue reading. Because I absolutely loved reading this book. It follows the story of Pippa, a student who decided to write her final essay on a murder that happened in her hometown five years ago, where Andie bell was murdered and Sal Singh was arrested for it. Pip doesn’t believe that Sal did it and wants to find out what actually happened all those years ago. The format of this book was so unique and it really was a page-turner. You can read my FULL REVIEWHERE.
 

1.  The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
I would have never picked up this book if it wasn’t recommended to me, because the synopsis didn’t appeal to me at first. Let alone thinking this would eventually become my favorite of the year and even a new all-time favorite. It follows Linus Baker, who is a social worker with the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He is given the special assignment of investigating whether six magically gifted at-risk youngsters living in an orphanage on a small island may pose too great a danger to society. This book was such a warm hug, I loved every minute of it and all the characters were so loveable. And aren’t these the best books, when you don’t even expect to like it as much as you did? I am so glad I decided to pick it up. Read my FULL REVIEW HERE.  
 
Honorable mentions: Pop Goes the Weasel by M.J. Arlidge, The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, Home Before Dark by Riley Sager, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, The One by John Marrs