Moive Review: Stoker (2013)
Moive Review: Stoker (2013)
Stoker
Rated: R
Genre: Psychological Thriller
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I have been eyeing this movie for a long, long time. It got mixed reviews when it first came out, and that was the cause for my hesitancy. However, I am a sucker for psychological thrillers, and ended up buying it anyways.
There is only one thing I can say: I. Loved. This. Movie.
I know that many people hated it, and yes I would agree that you need to have a certain taste to be able to appreciate this film for what it was. But in my humble opinion, it was fantastic, and I am so happy I gave in and watched it.
Let’s first look at the acting. The main character is played by Mia Wasikowska, who did an amazing job portraying India Stoker. Her character reminded me a bit of Wednesday Addams, which was kind of funny. I ended up loving her character. Even though India is a bit odd, I rooted for her the entire way through the film, and the ending kind of wraps up why her personality is the way it is.
Nicole Kidman played India’s mother, Evie, very well. So well, in fact, that I vehemently hated her. Matthew Goode also delivered a very convincing performance as Charlie Stoker, India’s uncle. I think he fit this particular role perfectly.
The story starts off with the death of India’s father, and at her father’s funeral, India first meets her uncle Charlie, whom she had never known existed. The rest of the film is the development of their (India, Evie, and Charlie’s) relationships, as well as uncovering who Uncle Charlie really is.
There are some disturbing images and ideas in this movie, so viewer discretion is advised. It is rated R for a reason.
I enjoyed the imagery in this film. The different scenes and camera angles and the frames they capture lend to the artistic quality of the film. It is a beautiful film, for sure.
Something I appreciated about this film was how everything was significant or symbolic in some way. From the first scene, to the uncle talking about wine, to the spider-- everything had a meaning that added to the film.
The ending of this film is perfect. The very last scene, in particular, I love because it ties into the beginning perfectly, except now we know things that we hadn’t in the beginning.
The plot is well executed, and I like the portrayal of mental illness and the hereditary aspect of that in this movie. I loved, loved, loved this movie and I am sad it didn’t get more of an audience. Kudos to the director, who did a fantastic job.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars, and definitely recommend it to anyone who appreciates artistic films or psychological thrillers.
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Movie Review: Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawler
Genre: Thriller/Drama
Rated: R
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
I went into Nightcrawler blind. I just ordered the ticket at the theatre, not knowing what to expect, and I’m rather happy that I did. This film was unique and engaging.
The beginning was a bit slow, to build the story, which is forgivable. It picked up pace gradually, and made into an amazing film, the ending of which was fast paced and action-packed. The film overall was well paced.
Jake Gyllenhaal never fails to impress. He is one of the leads in one of my favorite films, Prisoners, so of course I had high expectations for Nightcrawler. I was not disappointed.
The film had a slight Indie type feel, which added to the unique, dark, and slightly disturbing mood of the movie. Gyllenhaal’s character was disturbing in a sociopathic way. I found myself liking his character, but at the same time fearing him. He was slightly disturbed, but unique and provoking.
There was a lot of violence and some gore in this film, as well as some dark topics, which were necessary to add depth to the story and well-executed.
The ending was my favorite part. There was a small plot-twist moment in the storyline which was a great turn but also slightly anticipated.
The overall concept and topic of the film was entirely unique and well-executed. It was refreshing to see a film that doesn’t have a million others with the same exact idea.
Overall, I rate this film 4.5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this movie, especially to fans of horror and psychological thrillers. It was unique, engaging, and made me think deeper that most action-ish films will make me. Gyllenhaal gave a fantastic performance.The ending was unexpected, and I found that I learned a lot of life advice from this film, oddly enough. I was pleasantly surprised with this film, it has definitely been one of the best ones I have seen this year.
Thanks for reading! Check out more reviews at whenonebookcloses.com.
If everybody who says All Lives Matter actually believed that all lives matter, the Black Lives Matter movement would not have been necessary in the first place.
Matt Gubser (via thatlitsite)
Have to read this for school... 😒Anybody read this?
Books about witches!
The Witch's Daughter has such a nice cover.
My TBR pile...
She was wearing flowers in her hair the color of his eyes…
GoT and the beach.
Book Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown By Holly Black
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 3, 2013)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Synopsis from amazon.com: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. Amazon.com
Review:
I absolutely loved this book. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is probably one of my favorites that I have read in a while. Holly Black has such a unique and very refreshing way of writing. I have read some of her other books, and while they all have the same sort of mood and feel to them, I never get tired of her writing and her unique ideas and stories.
This novel showed a darker take on the whole “vampire romance” category. It was dark and emotional, very well written, and I never got bored while reading it. It grabbed me from the first page and was captivating from cover to cover.
There is a lot of action, as well as a bit of romance, and I liked how the plot wrapped itself together nicely.It wasn’t fluffy or overly romantic, and the characters and the world in this story felt real. Tana, the protagonist, is very bad-ass and a protagonist worth rooting for. There were a couple interesting and surprising plot twists and character identity revelations, ensuring there was never a dull moment in this book.
I liked how the characters and their relationships were revealed and established, although I would have appreciated a bit more development into the relationship between Tana and Gavriel.
The ending left hope for the characters, and it was a happy ending of sorts, while still sticking to the feel and authenticity of the story. I rather appreciated the ending, because it wrapped up loose ends while still leaving an air of mystery.
Even though this topic of vampires in YA fiction has been beaten dead, this book was different, refreshing. It had the same basic topic as many before it (vampires and vampire romance) but had a different take and view that it made it unique and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this book.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for excellent writing, an excitingly unique plot and believable characters.
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