Mini-Reviews: Call Me By Your Name, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Jane Austen Book Club

Welcome once again to the portion of the blog where I talk about some movies I've been watching! Some movies I simply don't feel motivated to write a full review on (or life gets busy!) but I still want to share my thoughts with you. So, here are a few things I've seen lately and how I felt about them!

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Call Me By Your Name
Wow. I put off watching this one for a while because I thought it might have been popular because of the cast or subject matter rather than its own merit. Well, I was wrong. No, it's not perfect, but I definitely found it had a real impact on me to the point that I actually cried at one scene. My only previous experience with Timothée Chalamet had been in Lady Bird, and I hadn't watched anything with Armie Hammer in it, so this was a great way to get to know them better as actors. I would definitely recommend this one. It isn't overwhelmingly dramatic, and there isn't a lot going on in terms of action, but it's lovely nonetheless. I did have one or two moments where I wasn't really a fan of how they shot things/the content, but as far as I am aware they were true to the book for these things, so it's not really a fault of the film.

Mini-Reviews: Black Narcissus, Cheerful Weather For the Wedding, Laggies

Movies, movies and more movies! I definitely love to watch a lot of them in the winter. I'm spending quite a bit of time watching things I had meant to see years ago, and occasionally re-watching some comforting old favourites. So, here's what I've been watching recently!

slantmagazine.com

Black Narcissus
I remember watching this movie as a teen, and remembered liking it...but I didn't really recall all that much about it, and kept mixing it up with A Nun's Story. I watched it again recently, and oh boy...wow. Honestly, I was totally in love with it. Now yes, there are a few things where it is clearly a product of its time (such as some racist depictions - although nowhere near the worst I've seen), but the storyline, cinematography, and mood are incredible. It sort of has a similar feeling to Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca to me, so if you like the feeling of that story, I was check this one out. It is based on a book, but I've never read it.

Mini-Reviews: The F Word, The Space Between Us, The Perfect Date

Here are a few things I've been watching for fun that I haven't done a full review for. Let me know if you've seen any of these and what you thought!

wearemoviegeeks.com

The F Word/What If
Now these are the types of roles Daniel Radcliffe shines in! Radcliffe's character is disillusioned with love, and both Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan are both appropriately awkward and dorky together. It's a sweet movie with some offbeat humour that is really great for any day of the week. The main characters both have odd names though, and the movie is definitely quirky, so if you aren't into that, then it's likely not your cup of tea. It's that kind of predictable, but sweet romantic comedy like When Harry Met Sally that can't help but make you smile. The original title is "The F Word," however it was changed in some countries to "What If".

film.avclub.com

The Space Between Us
Although pretty predictable, it's still a sweet movie about two teens both trying to break free from the lives they've been forced into. It has lots of adorable moments and the connection between the two leads is perfect. Asa Butterfield is so, so cute in this, and Britt Robertson is great as a troubled but still good at heart kid. It's a nice movie with a cool concept, and definitely worth a watch if you are looking for something with a little depth but that won't leave you feeling too heavy-hearted.

YA in Review: Flipped (Wendelin Van Draanen)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk.

wendelinvand.com

What it's about:

Julianna Baker flipped for Bryce Loski instantly. Bryce? Not so much. He spends the next several years trying to get away. But when the eighth grade comes around with new challenges and influences, Juli starts to see Bryce for more than just what he is on the outside - and she's not sure she likes what she sees anymore. Yet Bryce, upon being prompted to take a closer look, starts getting a funny feeling every time Juli is near.

Read vs Reel: The Kissing Booth

BEWARE -SPOILERS ABOUND. With this being a comparison between the novel and the film adaptation, there will be lots of spoilers in this review under the section "Where the Movies Differs". Read at your own risk. The other sections should be essentially spoiler-free.

In all honesty, I almost didn't finish this review. No, that isn't any reflection on the source material, I just had so many roadblocks come up with this post that I didn't really have the heart to continue. So, better late than never, here it finally is!

goodreads.com

The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles started as a story on Wattpad before being picked up by publishers in 2012. The Netflix movie adaptation was released in 2018, instantly garnering hoards of fans. It stars Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and Joel Courtney, with Molly Ringwald in the supporting cast. A companion novella, The Beach House was released in 2011 and can be read on Wattpad.

What It's About

Two best friends give birth to their babies on the same day. Their children, Lee and Elle, are inseparable from that moment on. They can count on the other for everything, no matter what. But when Elle and Lee plan a kissing booth as part of the school's carnival fundraiser, they never could have guessed what would happen - her first kiss is with none other than Lee's older brother Noah. Noah seems like a dream: straight A student, football player, and completely gorgeous...until you factor in his motorcycle, womanizing, and tendency to get into fights. Elle is torn between wanting bad boy Noah, and running the other way. What's a girl to do?

Every Day

Every Day is based on a 2012 book of the same name by David Levithan. It was adapted as a movie in 2018.

avclub.com

What It's About:

Every day a person named A wakes up in the body of a different human being. They are not a body in and of themselves, and only a soul. On one particular day, A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets his girlfriend Rhiannon, with whom they spend an unforgettable day. Rhiannon, unused to this type of attention from Justin is over the moon, but when Justin can't remember it the next day, she is not only heartbroken, but confused. A, however, has fallen head over heels. Through a series of different bodies, A meets Rhiannon and explains their story - and when the two start a relationship, they have no choice but to hide it. For who would understand that when Rhiannon looks like she is with a different person every day, that she is really with A? 

Lady Susan (Jane Austen)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. This book is the tenth one that I've completed for my 2018 TBR Challenge. I was thinking of giving up on this challenge in favour of getting through a few things that I was more interested in, but I'm still hoping I can make it!

barnesandnoble.com

What it's about:

Lady Susan is a widow, a mother, a beauty, a liar, and a shameless flirt. Told entirely through letters, this story centers on Lady Susan's scheming to make a good match for herself and her daughter, while everyone else tries desperately to thwart her efforts. Around every corner lies deceit, persuasion, and endless familial frustration.

TTT: Platonic Relationships in Books

Thanks to Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl for this week's topic! I haven't done one in a bit because things have been rather crazy, but I wanted to take the time for this one.

1) Aelin and Aedion > Cousins - Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

2) Tibby, Lena, Bridget, and Carmen > Best Friends - The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares

3) Charlie and Patrick > Friends - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

4) The Pilot and The Little Prince > Friends - The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry