Book Review - Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

Title: Heroine
Series: -
Author: Mindy McGinnis
 
Description: When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed help her get there.
 
The pills do more than take away the pain; they make her feel good.
 
With a new circle of friends, fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill, Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue.
 
But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send het spiraling out of control.
 
Review: I want to start off this review by saying there are major trigger warnings. It’s about sever drug use, drug abuse, overdose and addiction. The book explores the opioid crisis, and sees it though the eyes of a teenage girl.
 
When Mickey gets severely injured right before softball season starts, she has to watch from the sideline. At least that is expected from her. When she gets a prescription for Oxycontin, she soon realizes they really take away the pain. But eventually they do more; they make her feel good. With her own prescription lowering quicker then required, she find several ways to get her pills. Eventually going to drug dealers or steal it from other patients. But, as Micey keeps telling herself, she is not an addict.
 
Author Mindy McGinnis wrote a very strong and realistic book. She takes on this difficult topic and turns it into an honest and raw story. “Heroine” shows us what drugs can really do to a person. Mickey starts to take her painkillers more frequently to make the pain more bearable, so that she can work through the pain and be ready for softball season. It’s such a sad story and you just know Mickey’s story is not going in the right direction.
 
I believe “Heroine” is a very important book. It’s intense and sometimes really difficult to read. But it’s really good and I could recommend it to anyone.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Equalizer 3

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Action
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Brennan, Remo Girono, Gaia Scodellaro, Andrea Scarduzio
 
Description: Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) finds himself at home in Southern Italy but he discovers his friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become friends’ protector by taking on the mafia.

Review: Even though “The Equalizer”, the first in this trilogy, had to endure much criticism for its excessive violence, the film was a hit. I loved it anyway and the first sequel was also solid. “The Equalizer 3”, what I believe to be the final chapter, is again a strong film in the crime action thriller genre. But it takes a different approach.

For some unknown reason, Robert McCall finds himself in Sicily, where he ahs killed off a house full of crime bosses. After he kills the head of this organization, he is shot in the back. He tries to get away, but is found by the side of the road by Gio. He takes him to the local doctor Enzo. While recovering from his near-fatal wound, he gets to know the residents of the small village, with whom soon develops a strong bond. Because he still recovering, he is forced to watch as the village is exploited by local crimes bosses.

The opening sequence shows that McCall is a gifted fighter, but also vulnerable. Despite his phenomenal fighting skills, McCall is still a human being of flesh and blood. He is not some untouchable God. The passive role McCall finds himself in because of his temporary disability makes the injustice of the mob all the more painful.

Denzel Washington once again manages to bring out two sides of McCall. At first glance, he is a likeable, simple and trustworthy man. But he can turn into a cold-blooded killing machine at any moment. The sudden transitions Washington shows between those two sides of McCall are both chilling and satisfying.

This third film makes more room drama, which may disappoint the fans of the series, who are waiting for the action. I believe it fit this film, because the tone is different then the other two.
“The Equalizer” trilogy is a solid one, one to remember and with high rewatchability. I really enjoyed this third installment and I have yet to see a bad Denzel Washington movie.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Title: Our Wives Under the Sea
Series: -
Author: Julia Armfield
 
Description: Miri thinks she has got her wife back, when Leah finally returns after a deep-sea mission that ended in catastrophe. It soon becomes clear, though, that Leah is not the same. Whatever happened in that vessel, whatever it was they were supposed to be studying before they were stranded on the ocean floor, Leah has brought part of it back with her, onto dry land and into their home.
 
Moving through something that only resembled normal life, Miri comes to realize that the life they had before might be gone. Though Leah is still here, Miri can feel the woman she loves slipping from her grasp.
 
Review: In Our Wives Under the Sea”, we follow the couple Leah and miri. They have been separated for months because Leah has been trapped at the bottom of the sea for six months, for a research mission. However, the real misery begins once the submarine resurfaces and she is reunited with Miri. Leah’s deep-sea mission has changed her for good.
 
As a reader, you strongly empathize with Miri. She is happy that Leah is back, but she realizes she isn’t the same person. And she tries everything to make her feel better and to try and understand her. Her narration alternates with that of Leah, where she looks back on the mission and we see what it was like to be on a submarine for so long. The experience made Leah a stranger to Miri.
 
It's a highly character-driven story, that over plot. And I’m more of a plot-driven kind of reader. With that, the story sometimes drags and is a bit boring at times too. I never really got into the story. Other than feeling sympathy for both characters, reading about their connection and the beautiful writing, this book did nothing for me.
 
I guess, this is not the type of book for me. But I was so disappointed, because I had such high hopes for “Our Wives Under the Sea”.
 
Rating: 2, 5/ 5

Movie Review - Asteroid City

Director: Wes Anderson
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Jason Schwartzmann, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Jake Ryan, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien brody, Live Schreiber, Hope Davis, Steve Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Margot Robbie
 
Description: Following a writer (Edward Norton) on his world famous fictional play about a grieving father (Jason Schwartzmann) travels with his tech-obsesses family to small rural Asteroid City to complete in a junior stargazing event, only to have his world view disrupted forever.

Review: Wes Anderson has been hiding raw emotions under a layer of artificiality for almost his entire body of work. Those emotions are usually suppressed feelings of grief, loss and love, which do eventually break through the surface. In each of his films, Wes Anderson presents a completely controlled world in which the control that the characters carefully try to exert over their surroundings slowly crumbles. This produces beautiful melancholy and emotional breakthroughs.

“Asteroid City” revolves around a brand-new widower and his four children in the desert hamlet of Asteroid City. They find themselves in a bombardment of cute characters with funny dialogues. There is too little space and time for their grief to land; they are only just beginning to push away their emotions.

The story we follow is actually a play, and a narrator looks back on its creation. This creates an extra layer through which Wes Anderson’s tender, vulnerable emotions will pierce.

The main story in the titular village is filmed in a pastel technicolor imitation, which accentuates the yellow of the desert and the blue of the sky. The narration is completely in black and white. Everything is perfectly framed and I just love Anderson’s style. I always have. As usual, the film is filled with quirky characters, portrayed by a star-studded cast. If you’re a Wes Anderson fan,  “Asteroid City” is a win.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Lie

Director: Veena Sud
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Mireille Enos, Peter Sarsgaard Joey King

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 48: A THRILLER
 
Description: Jay (Peter Sarsgaard) and his daughter Kayla (Joey King) are on their way to dance camp when they spot Kayla’s best friend on the side of the road. When they stop to offer her a ride, their good intentions soon result in terrible consequences.

Review: “The Lie” tells the story of Kayla and her divorced parents Jay and Rebecca. On their way to a ballet camp, Kayla and Jay run into a friend of Kayla’s, all alone at the bus stop. They decide to give her a ride, since this Britney also has to go to camp.

When Britney needs to pee, Jay pulls the car over on the side of the road. The girls walk into the woods, in the middle of nowhere. When Jay hears a scream, he finds his daughter sitting on a bridge. But where is Britney?

All three main characters, Kayla, Jay and Rebecca, are incredibly unpleasant people. In a movie like this, its important that you can sympathize with at least one of them. You just simply can’t with this family. And these people are so stupid and make all the wrong decisions. I understand that Jay and Rebecca are parents that want to protect their daughter. But not of the decisions they make, think it’s the best for Kayla, are thoughtful or understandable. It made no sense at all.

The acting is really good though and they did the best with the material they had. And the film has some surprising twists, it’s not all that predictable. But, that ending is just…. I just couldn’t deal with that. And again makes no sense. No person in the right mind would think that what actually happened is a good idea. And that ending made this film from not so great to downright silly.

Rating: 2 / 5

Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 25

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.

81/ 100: The Burbs (1989)
Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is in need of rest and spends his vacation in his boring, decent suburb. But then the Klopek family movies into to his neighborhood. They behave a bit strangely, and strange noises come from their house at night. Together with his neighbors, Ray sets out to investigate. “The Burbs” has been a family favorite for years, a film my brother and I can randomly quote from. It’s not a perfect movie for most, but for us, it is the funniest thing out there. Check out my full review HERE.

82/ 100: Little Women (2019)
Yet another film adaptation of Louise May Alcott’s famous book, but in my eyes the best ou there. Aspiring writer Jo (Saoirse Ronan), one of the four March sisters, is the focus, but director Greta Gerwig shows remarkable sympathy for the ambitious Amy )Florence Pugh), who was has always been the “wrong sister” in other adaptations. Emma Watson plays eldest sister Meg and Eliza Scanlen plays introverted Beth. And Timothee Chalamet seems to be born for the role of Laurie. HERE you can read my full review.

83/ 100: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes), the flamboyant concierge of five-star Hotel Gran Budapest tries to stay out of the hands of the fascists in 1932 along with lobby boy Zero (Toni Revolori). The silly characters, variegated colors and hyper-realistic setting, that director Wes Anderson is so known for, are all present.  Just like the dry-comic humor. And Ralph Fiennes is energetic and has perfect timing. Check out my full review HERE.

84/ 100: The Usual Suspects (1995)
Excellently acted crime story in which five criminals meet in a cell and, before being innocently released, decide to work together. Leader is the charistmatic Keaton (Gabriel Byrne). Gradually, the come in contact with the mysterious master criminal Keyser Soze. This film marked the breakthrough for actor Kevin Spacey, who also received an Oscar for his role. “The Usual Suspect” is one of the movies that everyone loves, I literally don’t know anyone who doesn’t. Check HERE for my full review.

Still to watch: 16

90s Movie Review - The Usual Suspects

Director: Bryan Singer
Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 1995
Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, Dan Hedaya, Giancarlo Esposito

Description: A sole survivor tells of the twisty events leading up to a horrific gun battle on a boat, which begin when five criminals meet at a seemingly random police lineup.

Review: There is one scene in “The Usual Suspects” that was considered failed by director Brian Singer. The actors couldn’t concentrate and constantly laughed. Eventually Singer decided to use the footage, the scene could be more interesting because of it. And he was right: one of the most characteristic scenes from the movie was born.

Off course we’re talking about that famous line-up. This ‘failed’ scene managed to give us an impression of the five different criminals. We see their frigid, defiant and anarchistic attitude.
Any form of identification is important in a movie like this, where the characters are criminals and their activities and social environment are so different from ours. All the characters have their quirks.
Kevin Spacey is the one that catches our eye, this was the movie that put him on the map. His insecure portrayal of Verbal Kint is completely credible and he is the one that connects the audience with the story.     

The cunning script by Christopher McQuarrie is the main reason you keep watching. We want to know what’s going on and who Keyser Söze is. This villain is so on point, like a devil, who is mainly in the background but a constant threat.

“The Usual Suspects” needs your attention at all times, but it’s inevitable that you eventually get on the wrong track. It’s a great crime story, with beautiful music, good acting and film noir like camerawork. And that amazing twist at the end makes it to the classic it is.

Rating: 5/ 5