#4-Star Review

[agentjazzy]

finished up jenny nicholson's newest video, and in a comment someone suggested taking a peek at the galactic starcruiser subreddit and. 💀

[manchesterau]

dan was disappointed that challengers wasnt gay enough so they BETTER bring it for the tour i want them to go places theyve never been before

[literatureaesthetic]

march '24 favs:

• those who leave and those who stay & the story of the lost child ; elena ferrante — the final two books in the neapolitan novels, a tetrology recording the lives of two girls in naples from childhood to old age. gutting, beautiful, layered, and complex. this series is a masterpiece, elena ferrante is everything to me <3 (please read it!!)

• sirens and muses by antonia angress — following an array of characters at an art university as they navigate life, work, academia, relationships, and being an artist in a capitalist world where everything is commodified. the depth of characters paired with the nuanced discussions of art, class, and politics left me so pleasantly surprised. (it's also extremely gay and perfect for all you tumblr users with mummy/daddy issues)

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Review: Skysong by CA Wright Rating: 4/5

All her life, Oriane has sung her song to bring the dawn. But when something calls her to the palace, she finds herself trapped. Her only hope is the lady's maid assigned to her who sings a song of her own.

When I saw this was a reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale, I couldn't figure out how Wright could possibly have reimagined it into something interesting. The original is just ... lacklustre. But this is one of the most beautiful fairy tale retellings I've come across in a long time. 

The writing is simple and enchanting. The characters are calm but full of emotional underneath. The story itself is quite action-packed but reading it felt like flowing down a quiet river which was an incredibly nice feeling. 

This isn't a hashtag-cozy-fantasy but it's certainly a fantasy that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. And there are lesbians. So if those things appeal to you, definitely track down a copy. 

[filmforager]

The Outrun: Review

Saoirse Ronan proves a force of nature

There are plenty of films about the cyclical nature of addiction, where moments of hope are snatched away by painful relapses. But few films capture the essence of being an addict as convincingly as The Outrun, in which setting and sound design are about as key as the story. Portraying alcoholism as a suffocating cacophony of noise, it’s an immersive way into this powerful true-life story.

Drawn from the memoirs of Amy Liptrot, we follow Rona (Saoirse Ronan), an alcoholic biology grad who starts the film at rock bottom. Booted out of a pub for drunken disorder, she lands herself a black eye and a real wake-up call to get her life in order. This leads her to leave the noise of London to recover at her home in the Orkney Islands, where she joins up with her long-suffering mother (Saskia Reeves), and watches over her father (Stephen Dillane), who struggles with mental health issues of his own.

As you can expect, her road to recovery is anything but straightforward. But rather than opting for a linear structure, writer-director Nora Fingscheidt makes the shrewd decision to frame Rona’s bumpy journey by flashing between two different time periods. A breath-taking early sequence in a club shows how Rona falls in love with her then boyfriend (a charming Paapa Essiedu), before her illness slowly and heartbreakingly takes its toll. There’s an undercurrent of threat as the camera shakily homes in on her drunken outbursts and the hurtful comments she makes while under the influence.

These emotionally charged flashbacks show the painful impact that alcoholism has on her relationships in the past, while weighing her down with sorrow in the present. That these potentially jarring time jumps work so well is testament to incredible work from Ronan (also a producer on the film), whose courageous performance will have you invested throughout. Ronan has always been a capable actress, but here she plunges an unseen range of authentic emotional depths – this character really goes through a lot. One scene where she goes from drunkenly abusing her mother to tearfully apologising is genuinely devastating. She’s backed up by terrific performances from Reeves and Dillane as parents going through very different challenges.

In a script that mostly strays from cliché and sentimentality, Fingscheidt refreshingly lets the sense of place do the talking. There’s a real juxtaposition between the noise and chaos of the life she leaves behind, and the healing tranquillity of the natural landscape, where Rona has some agency over her life. It’s here that the film finds moments of relief – after all, what’s more healing than the sight of some seals bobbing their heads in the water?

Moving, inspiring and frequently upsetting, The Outrun beautifully explores the challenges of addiction and mental illness, with a career-best performance from Saoirse Ronan.

★★★★

[hannahwatcheshorror]

THE CROW (1994)

Unexpectedly sweet horror movie set in a bleak town. Brandon Lee is the son of Bruce Lee in real life and does a really great job in the lead role as Eric Draven AKA The Crow. (RIP Brandon Lee)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Trigger Warning Sexual Assault, Rape, Flashing Lights, mild incest(?)

This movie is rough around the edges but I think that makes it all the more endearing. There are wacky camera shots, wacky costumes, wacky characters, Hell, sometimes the main guy will just be up on a rooftop wailing on a guitar between scenes just to be cool. How did he even get equipment up there to play (it's an electric guitar)? I don't know but he did it! And then he smashes the damn thing and gets serious about killing. Anyway, here is the story.

One year ago on Devil’s Night (the night before Halloween) Eric Draven and his fiancée Shelley are murdered in cold blood for trying to help get/keep housing for the needy. This year, Devil’s night, Eric Draven rises from his grave only to learn what happened to his beloved and get revenge. First visiting his old home he finds it in tatters, memories flood back, he remembers dying. The sickos left the cat alone which is the only good thing they did. Eric dawns some makeup, his mask, and he becomes The Crow. It should also be mentioned that there is a crow familiar that aids, guides, and/or follows Eric.

Slowly and steadily Eric makes his way through those who harmed his love, they all have silly names but serious attitude problems. After disposing of the trash, a calling card in the shape of a crow is left for whoever finds the victim. This leaves police baffled but warns the only members of the crew left that death is coming for them. Eric wants them to know. He even lets one of the minor offenders live just so the guy could be a messenger that Eric was coming (dearly departed, Eric, that is). This is all sending shockwaves up the killer crew, who don’t want to believe in ghosts but are having a hard time with all the evidence being presented to them.

Eric finally just shows up, absorbing bullets and walking around like a certain X-man, kicking all sorts of ass. The long haired baddie takes his creepy sister (is it really his sister?) and escapes. Eric has finished his vengeance, or so he thinks, and is ready to finish his dirt nap but the long haired baddie calls him out by kidnapping Eric’s kid friend, Sarah! This time the baddies realize that if they shoot at The Crow familiar they can actually hurt Eric so they do and they can! Yikes! Wack! But Eric isn’t just going to lie down and die… Again… No, this time he keeps fighting, his injured crow pecks the creepy sister's eyes out and she falls to her death. 

Last but not least is a rainy rooftop battle with the long haired baddie, there's a sword, Eric grabs a piece of the building to swing around, it was a pretty intense scene. All hope seems lost when Eric gets run through with the sword but then he turns around and sends the memories of all his sadness about Shelley dying into the baddie. All that concentrated sadness at once was so shocking to him that he fell off the roof and died! Wack! But a nice use of those horrible memories! Sarah is safe now, she will miss Eric but he is really ready to die again. And who better to greet him than Shelley, she welcomes him back as if to Heaven (her arms) and when we pan out we see their graves undisturbed. Really a beautiful story about an avenging spirit who was brought back to do a job. It may look a little silly in some lights because of the face paint and names but this is a love story of Eric and Shelley who were to be married on Halloween but their lives were cut tragically short.

[theflixdiaryproject]

"when we were kids Doraemon would come to our rescue at time like this." - Shizuka

in Tokyo, a boy named Nobita Noby (Megumi Ohara) struggles with school, family, and his crush, Shizuka (Yumi Kakazu). his future looks bleak until a robot cat named Doraemon (Wasabi Mizuta) appears from the 22nd century. sent by Nobita’s descendant, Doraemon’s mission is to make Nobita happy and fix his future. using magical gadgets and endless patience, Doraemon helps Nobita overcome challenges. but the question remains - will Doraemon stay with Nobita forever?

read my review below (may contain spoilers):

rewatched May 30th, 2020 on netflix

as a Doraemon fan since childhood, Stand by Me Doraemon feels like a warm hug from an old friend. I remember watching the TV series after school, sitting on the floor with snacks, laughing at Nobita’s silly misadventures. my parents also bought me a huge collection of its translated mangas. this movie brought all those memories rushing back. from the very first scene, I felt like I was reconnecting with a part of myself I hadn’t thought about in years. it’s nostalgic in the best way, and yet, it still feels fresh and new. Doraemon has always been a special character to me. he’s more than just a robot cat. he’s the friend every kid dreams of having. his pocket of gadgets is magical, but it’s his kindness and loyalty that make him unforgettable. in this movie, his relationship with Nobita feels so real, like they’re family. Doraemon is sometimes strict, sometimes playful, but always supportive. watching them together made me wish I could go back to simpler times when all I needed was a little hope and imagination. the animation is simply stunning. I grew up watching the classic 2D version of Doraemon, so seeing this 3D version was a treat. it’s like the characters jumped off the page of a storybook and into my world. the details are incredible. Doraemon’s fur looks soft, the city feels alive, and even Nobita’s messy room feels so real. the colours are bright but not overwhelming, and the animation adds a modern touch to this timeless story. it’s like watching my childhood come to life in a new way.

the story itself is emotional and full of heart. it’s about friendship, courage, and believing in yourself. watching Nobita struggle and grow throughout the movie made me reflect on my own childhood. like Nobita, I wasn’t the most confident kid, and I often wished for a Doraemon to guide me through life. seeing how Nobita changes with Doraemon’s help is inspiring. it’s a reminder that even if we stumble, we can still stand up and move forward. there are so many moments that touched my heart. one that stands out is when Doraemon helps Nobita realise he has to fight for his own happiness. it’s such a simple but powerful message. and then there’s the ending. it had me tearing up, even though I already knew what would happen. it’s a story about letting go, but also about holding onto the memories and lessons that shape us. this movie is more than just a kids’ story. it’s a celebration of childhood dreams and friendships that never fade. even as an adult, I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering for Nobita and Doraemon. it’s a movie that stays with me long after it ends, like a treasured memory I keep revisiting.

final verdict: I totally loved it!!

maturity rating: all ages genre: anime, comedy, sci-fi, adventure duration: 1h 35m (95 mins) country of origin: Japan language: Japanese screenplay: Takashi Yamazaki based on: Doraemon by Fujiko F. Fujio. voice cast: Wasabi Mizuta, Megumi Ohara, Yumi Kakazu, Subaru Kimura, Tomokazu Seki

[vulpixbookpix]

Navigating With You by Jeremy Whitley

4.5 out of 5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

Neesha and Gabby are the new kids at school. Despite Neesha's attempts to start off as a "loner," Gabby manages to talk her into eating lunch together and being lab partners. They eventually start talking and realize that they read the same manga when they were younger. The two decide to find the volumes to read together, which prove to be a bit difficult as they're out of print and hard to find.

Their friendship blossoms as they spend the school year searching for the manga volume by volume. While they read the adventures of Navigator Nozomi, a romance starts to bloom between the two of them.

I enjoyed the scenes of the manga incorporated into the story. It helped to see how Gabby and Neesha could've interpreted parts of it differently while they were reading. Neesha is a young girl who feels like she has to fight all the wrongs in the world, and possibly the world itself if it tries to say that she can't do something due to her disability. Gabby, on the other hand, seems to be able to go with the flow and brush off a lot--until she doesn't.

The graphic novel itself deals with characters struggling with PTSD, the world not being accessible to all, and, overall, family and friends who accept you and are supportive. This was a great read.

[jeffament]

girl. who is forcing u to do this… u know u can turn movies off right? when u don’t like them?

[yourfavebooklrsfavebooklr]

4.25 stars

This was really, really good. Binsa’s descent toward villainy was so fun to read, she’s a really compelling character. As more and more was revealed about her demon I just got more invested. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out. I liked the multiple magic systems and the reveal about the gods. And that ending??????? Perfect, no notes. Her relationship with her brother was so messy and interesting too, and it’s always fun to read fantasy with little to no romance. I loved this book, it was enjoyable with a strong emotional core and a good understanding of what it was trying to do.

[dwtpsychward]

tommys podcast just got recommended to me on Spotify. might kill myself

dream stans will never know peace this should be considered stalking

[folkdances]

the police allege that he was wearing the same clothes, carrying the weapon, and had a manifesto on him? somehow i don't believe that.

[bloomingkyras]

Solo Date Point Review (R1) + Blind Date Star Review (Final 5)

Creator comment:

Odin: Gemma found out that she really love to be around Odin and he make her feel the love that she never get before. he treat her well even when the incident at the house happen, Odin came and give her support.

Adriadne: This girl, she really like I don't care 😅. She always come and chat with Gemma even tho there's other contestant with them. But she proof that she's not weird and guess what she confess to Gemma that she had a crush on her 🤭. That 1 bonus for her too.

Felix: He still shy but he's really working on to get Gemma attention and He also being there for Gemma when the incident happen.

Max: hmm..the pieces still have on Gemma's heart. It's hard to heals.but hey, he already apologize. Gemma know that hard to be around with rivalry in the same house and I also don't blame him to get jealous.

Aria: Gemma love to be around her as a sisters. they have a lot of chit chat. But the romance, they still working on it.

Nephinae: I'm sorry, she had being eliminated for this round. Gemma found out that, It's hard for them to be together. They have romantic bar quite low and It's not Nephinae false, Gemma refused to be with her although she keep trying. hope she found her love after this. tq for sent her to be a part of this BC ❤.

*Odin, Max, Felix and Adriadne had a good friend sentiment with Gemma.

For solo date round 1, the point will be from the friendship and romance bar. This also will be including a comment from Gemma's podcasts from the previous post. See u guys in Solo Date R2. there will be 2 sims will be eliminated on the second round. They still will be a part of Gemma save file.

[literatureaesthetic]

mieko kawakami was one of my author focuses of the year, i've slowly been working my way through her oeuvre. i knew kawakami was something special when i read 'breasts and eggs' last summer, and 'all the lovers in the night' has only cemented that impression. although it wasn't as impactful as 'breasts and eggs', it was still a very solid read. i only have 'heaven' left to go, and i'll have read everything she's written :')

you can find my full (and much more coherent) review here, if interested. but to sum, i highly recommend checking her work out if you haven't already!!

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Review: The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst Rating: 4/5

When a library burns, a librarian runs. Kiela flees to the seaside town she grew up in with a sentient plant and a collection of books she is absolutely not supposed to have. But their magical contents is just what she needs to bring hope back to her home - if danger doesn't find her first.  This was delightful. It had me smiling and laughing and making dry, sarcastic comments from beginning to end. Kiela is a bit grating with her constant worrying but the sheer whimsy of the setting and the more magical characters more than makes up for it. Although Larran is an adorable love interest, he's just so sweet and kind. I want one (but in butch lesbian form).

This is a quiet story with a focus on character development which I really enjoyed. And really, I was in this for the worldbuilding. A friend promised me it would be cozy and comforting and remind me of the Shirley Barber books I loved as a kid and it absolutely did that.

If you want a low stakes fantasy with lovely characters and a good sense of magic, I would highly recommend The Spell Shop. And if you enjoyed this one, I'd definitely encourage you to try Durst's Queens of Renthia series, those books are wonderful too.

[freshthoughts2020]