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spooky_missI am really quite behind with all my reviews, so I think I'll just do a few at a time!
Book Fifty Two - The Tiger In The Smoke by Margery Allingham
This is another one of the books free with the Times, ones of the old crime series. This follows a woman who is shortly to be married to her fiance Geoffrey, but she keeps getting photos which are supposed to be of her first husband, who died in the Second World War. She enlists the help of detective Albert Campion (who I think is in most of Margery Allingham's books). It turns out that her first husband conducted a mission to a house on the coast of France during the war, with a group of men who now form part of a criminal gang. Her husband told them that when he died he would leave instructions with a solicitors for her next/new husband to find a treasure he has left for her in the house, which is where he lived as a child. These criminals are trying to make the woman believe that her husband is still alive, so she would not marry this new man, and they could go and get the treasure. It was a nice old fashioned, very British mystery story, nothing too gory and horrible, which is nice. The only critisism I have is that it was quite confusing until about half way through - almost like Margery Allingham knew what the end of the story would be but wasn't sure how to get to it! Recommended for anyone who likes a good old fashioned mystery :) 7 / 10
Book Fifty Three - Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
This book tells the story of Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring", which in the book is of Griet, a maid in Vermeer's household. This is great as I always like to imagine the backstory of paintings and photographs and things. It tells the story of how Griet comes into Vermeer's household, how her relationships are with the family, including the jealousy that Vermeer's wife feels towards her once he asks her to help with his painting, and eventually pose for the painting. This is good historical novel, and also especially good if you've seen the film, as you can imagine it whilst you're reading...although for some reason I can't imagine Colin Firth when I think of Vermeer, he's just faceless in my mind, which is weird. But I would recommend this for anyone who likes historical novels :) 7.5 / 10
Film 33 - This is England
Well, I've had this film for ages but hadn't watched it, and I never ever thought it would be as good as it is. It tells the story of a 12 year old boy called Shaun, growing up in 1980s England. He is bullied at school, and then meets a group of punks and skinheads who take him in and become friends with him. He gets the whole outfit (Dr Martens, Ben Sherman shirt), and gets a haircut, of course! Then one of the group, Woody, has a friend, Combo, who comes back to the area, having been in prison. He encourages the group to get involved with the National Front, despite one of them being of Jamaican origin, and this splits the group into two. Shaun goes with Combo, and their lives start to descend into violence and drugs. It becomes clear that Combo has problems of his own which are making him violent and bitter towards everyone else. Its one of those films which are like Requiem for a Dream - amazing, but so horrible and soul destroying that you don't want to watch it again in a hurry! One of the last scenes is just horrific. But saying that - its one of those kind of films that everyone should see. I'd definately recommend this to everyone. 10 / 10
Film 34 - Sixty Six
I watched this film after the horrendous mess which was the England game against Algeria. Its very topical, being about a jewish boy who has his bar mitzvah on the same day as the World Cup Final in 1966! It starts with him looking at his brother's bar mitzvah and all the effort and planning that went into that, and decides that he wants it just the same. Unfortunately his father's shop is not doing as well as it was then, so he is told that it has to be a lot smaller than his brothers. Obviously he's not too pleased with that - and then when England gets into the World Cup Final he is even more upset with that, as he thinks that people won't come to his bar mitzvah. There is a great scene where his mother (played by Helena Bonham Carter) is on the phone to lots of people, with them variously telling them they are ill, not able to come to the party, watching the football, or just are not going to turn up! I won't give away the ending - but it turns out it is the best day ever for him! What I really liked about it was how they had original footage of the 1966 World Cup Final in the film as well - and everyone had union jacks instead of st george crosses, which I thought was an interesting difference from today! Its basically a lovely feel good film, highly recommended! :) 9 / 10
Some more reviews to follow in the next entry! :)
Book Fifty Two - The Tiger In The Smoke by Margery Allingham
This is another one of the books free with the Times, ones of the old crime series. This follows a woman who is shortly to be married to her fiance Geoffrey, but she keeps getting photos which are supposed to be of her first husband, who died in the Second World War. She enlists the help of detective Albert Campion (who I think is in most of Margery Allingham's books). It turns out that her first husband conducted a mission to a house on the coast of France during the war, with a group of men who now form part of a criminal gang. Her husband told them that when he died he would leave instructions with a solicitors for her next/new husband to find a treasure he has left for her in the house, which is where he lived as a child. These criminals are trying to make the woman believe that her husband is still alive, so she would not marry this new man, and they could go and get the treasure. It was a nice old fashioned, very British mystery story, nothing too gory and horrible, which is nice. The only critisism I have is that it was quite confusing until about half way through - almost like Margery Allingham knew what the end of the story would be but wasn't sure how to get to it! Recommended for anyone who likes a good old fashioned mystery :) 7 / 10
Book Fifty Three - Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
This book tells the story of Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring", which in the book is of Griet, a maid in Vermeer's household. This is great as I always like to imagine the backstory of paintings and photographs and things. It tells the story of how Griet comes into Vermeer's household, how her relationships are with the family, including the jealousy that Vermeer's wife feels towards her once he asks her to help with his painting, and eventually pose for the painting. This is good historical novel, and also especially good if you've seen the film, as you can imagine it whilst you're reading...although for some reason I can't imagine Colin Firth when I think of Vermeer, he's just faceless in my mind, which is weird. But I would recommend this for anyone who likes historical novels :) 7.5 / 10
Film 33 - This is England
Well, I've had this film for ages but hadn't watched it, and I never ever thought it would be as good as it is. It tells the story of a 12 year old boy called Shaun, growing up in 1980s England. He is bullied at school, and then meets a group of punks and skinheads who take him in and become friends with him. He gets the whole outfit (Dr Martens, Ben Sherman shirt), and gets a haircut, of course! Then one of the group, Woody, has a friend, Combo, who comes back to the area, having been in prison. He encourages the group to get involved with the National Front, despite one of them being of Jamaican origin, and this splits the group into two. Shaun goes with Combo, and their lives start to descend into violence and drugs. It becomes clear that Combo has problems of his own which are making him violent and bitter towards everyone else. Its one of those films which are like Requiem for a Dream - amazing, but so horrible and soul destroying that you don't want to watch it again in a hurry! One of the last scenes is just horrific. But saying that - its one of those kind of films that everyone should see. I'd definately recommend this to everyone. 10 / 10
Film 34 - Sixty Six
I watched this film after the horrendous mess which was the England game against Algeria. Its very topical, being about a jewish boy who has his bar mitzvah on the same day as the World Cup Final in 1966! It starts with him looking at his brother's bar mitzvah and all the effort and planning that went into that, and decides that he wants it just the same. Unfortunately his father's shop is not doing as well as it was then, so he is told that it has to be a lot smaller than his brothers. Obviously he's not too pleased with that - and then when England gets into the World Cup Final he is even more upset with that, as he thinks that people won't come to his bar mitzvah. There is a great scene where his mother (played by Helena Bonham Carter) is on the phone to lots of people, with them variously telling them they are ill, not able to come to the party, watching the football, or just are not going to turn up! I won't give away the ending - but it turns out it is the best day ever for him! What I really liked about it was how they had original footage of the 1966 World Cup Final in the film as well - and everyone had union jacks instead of st george crosses, which I thought was an interesting difference from today! Its basically a lovely feel good film, highly recommended! :) 9 / 10
Some more reviews to follow in the next entry! :)
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Date: 2010-07-02 03:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-03 06:50 pm (UTC)