The 9th Life of Louis Drax

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The 9th Life of Louis Drax was there on Dvdigi and I do like Jamie Dornan (he is very easy on the eyes and not a bad actor either) but I ended up liking it. I saw the twist early on (a side effect of age and too many films & novels) but still I liked the way the story is told and the casting was spot on on all fronts. 

The Forest

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The Forest the only reason I watched this one is because I actually got lost in the forest mentioned in the film. It was after I have climed Mount Fuji and came down the mountain with a Korean guy who assured me that he knew the way (well he was kind enough to give me his coat at the very top, which was COLD and I'd come unprepared for it) . We ended up at the right place but they have stopped the buses from that spot due to season change (this was September) and we got stranded there with the darkness falling. This is the Fuji edge of the forest and while sitting there with no idea of what to do it occurred to us that we had seen three people coming down that way before us. We decided to go for it and ran into the forest shouting "daskete" (help!!!!) and after about 5 minutes of running in the dark forest they heard our shouts and shouted back and we were able to meet. And later of we have come across an American guy who got lost the same way but was wandering for longer than us. He heard our shouts from a far. These kind people got us out of the forest and into their car and drove us back to Kawakuchi go (a town where there are buses back to Tokyo) I got back to the hostel alright but not shocked or anything. After returning to my country and sharing this with my Japanese manager he told me that we were very lucky to find our way in the suicide forest, in the dark too. That was the first time I heard of it.

The film unfortunately was not very good.

Snowden

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Snowden turned out to be a decent film. It managed to give its message along with personality of its titular character. I actually liked it a lot more than I thought I would. The only reason I watched it after all was because of JGL, whose performance was excellent. 

Georgia Rule

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Georgia Rule well Gary Marshall has a way of making really dark themes sort of work in a rom com (Pretty Woman is a masterpiece in that regard, and one of my all time faves). This time it is the child abuse and I really cried during this one. However I think the subject matter merited a heavier film without the cuteness and jokes. At least it ended happy.  

Un Plan Parfait

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Un Plan Parfait is a whimsical rom com. That is a tricky sub genre for me since despite loving the genre I do not care for whimsical often. This time it hit the spot. I like Diane Kruger. She is a good actress and she is georgeous. The male lead for me was always at the back ground to her and it was fun to watch this unlikely duo doing fun whimsical stuff. And I loved the ending. This is recommended. 

Reasonable Doubt

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Reasonable Doubt turned out to be a good idea executed badly. 

Sonsuz Aşk

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Sonsuz Aşk Nedendir bilinmez Murat Yıldırım'ı ve Fahriye Evcen'i seviyorum ben. Hayır Murat Yıldırım iyi bir aktör değil, yakışıklı değil, savunduğu ideolojiler hiç bana göre değil ama her nedense ekranda izlerken beni hiç rahatsız etmiyor. Hayır bayılmıyorum ama sinirde olmuyorum. Fahriye Evcen bence iyi bir aktris. Hele melodramda çok başarılı. Bu da eh tam bana göre yazılmış gibi görünen saçma ötesi, Özcan Deniz'in Kore filmlerinden yaptığı adaptasyonlar ve esinlenmeler ayarında bir film. Allah'tan Özcan Deniz yok. Neyse oğlumuz başarıları uluslararası tescilli bir beyin cerrahı, kızımız gündelikçi. Neyse bunlar Pretty Woman filminden ilham alıyorlar biraz ve sonunda aşık oluyorlar ama kızda iyileşmesi mümkün olmayan bir beyin tümörü var. Öldü ölecek iki ayı falan kalmış. Bu saçma sapan filme ben bir ağla bir ağla. Bu arada Muhteşem Yüzyılın Nigar Kalfa'sı yan rollerden birindeydi.

Hiç tavsiye etmiyorum ama ben sevdim. 

Yılanların Öcü

Yılanların Öcü gerçekten güzeldi. Gençliğimde okumamıştım nedense ama şimdi çok beğendim. Tabi insan doğası değişmedikçe aradan yüzyıl'da geçse bir takım şeylerin aynı olacağı yine belli. Bazı paragraflar bugün yazılsa hiç kimse 50'li yıllarda yazılmış demez. Toplumun düzelmesinden ümidi kestim, kendimi geliştirmeye bakıyorum artık. 

Rather Be The Devil

Rather Be The Devil no matter how many novels, Rebus just doesn't get old (and Siobahn and Matt don't get any more interesting) 

Casino Royale (2006 film)

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Casino Royale is my favorite Bond novel and this film is a great adaptation. I was so against Daniel Craig to be Bond because of him being blonde and not looking that tough but this film changed my mind immediately with the beginning scene. I love it and no matter how many times I have watched it, it still doesn't get old. 

Nerve

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Nerve turned out to be entertaining without any heft whatsoever. I do like Dave Franco and Emma Roberts (I was annoyed with her in the past until I have watched American Horror Story: The Coven) 

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince

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Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince is the one where Dumbledore dies. I like it a lot better now than the first time I watched it. 

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment

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Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is not as funny as the first but still entertaining. 

Police Academy

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Police Academy I only watched it for the nostalgia however have found myself really enjoying the whole thing once again. 

Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors I enjoyed this novel a lot. It is like a bag of crisps. You don't really need it, it doesn't taste particularly good and it has zero nutritional value but it feels very good munching on them.

Bombay Talkies

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Bombay Talkies is a compilation of four short films directed by four different people. Probably because I had not watched an Indian film for a long time and I love Rani Mukherjee (who starred in the first segment directed by Karan Johar) I ended up liking it more than I should. 

Karışık Kaset

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Karışık Kaset aslında hiç ilgimi çekmemişti ancak dün bir yerde güzel bir eleştirisine rastgelince denemek istedim. Hakikaten keyif aldım izlerken (hatta evet gözyaşı bile döktüm). Sarp Apak bana abartılı bir oyuncu gibi gelirdi ancak hiç değilmiş, daha önceki sitcom performanslarının suçlusu yönetmenmiş meğerse. 

Shut In

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Shut In is one of the films that got everything right but doesn't work for some invisible reason. But loving that certain clean cinematography and art direction I was not bored during as I would have been otherwise. 

Barbershop

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Barbershop the first film I just watched because it was there and it has Ice Cube in it. I love the guy (I don't listen to his music but I like his on screen presence). 

The Shallows

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The Shallows is a film that I wanted to watch because I have seen real sharks in a shark cage and I was truly terrified. And now I understand that most of the fiction is just not very good when it comes to this terrifying animal. They are just too fast to be outswam by a human. However I kind of liked this one because the visuals were really good and I like Blake Lively (not enough to watch a film just for her but enough that I like seeing her in a film). 

Contratiempo (The Invisible Guest)

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Contratiempo was a film I was tempted to watch during the hot noon of Taipei but the times never matched and I'm glad they didn't because it would be in Spanish with Chinese subtitles!!! Anyway I watched it and it didn't really work for me as it seems to work for the majority. It was too gimmicky and twisty (yeah I think I'm fiction jaded enough that this is a real thing for me). 

¿Qué Culpa Tiene el Niño? (Don't Blame The Kid)

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¿Qué Culpa Tiene el Niño? (Don't Blame The Kid) -although the real translation would be What Is the Fault of The Boy I suppose-  Anyway it was not bad but not as entertaining for me as I hope it would be. 

The Circle (Novel)

The Circle was purchased because it was new and cheap and I ended up liking it. More due to its plot than it is writing (which was not that good) I want to watch the film now and see how they adapted it. 

Steel Magnolias

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Steel Magnolias this film does not get old. It works its magic for me every single time. 

Central Intelligence

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Central Intelligence looked to be a film made for me since I love Kevin Hart and I love Dwayne Johnson. And I was entertained too, however I wouldn't like it if it starred anyone else. 

Crooked Kingdom

Crooked Kingdom I purchased this immediately after I have finished the first novel (Six of Crows) in Tamsui sitting in a café drinking honey vinegar with ice. This was one of the times I felt that technology is great. I just kept on reading the next book (it is still wonderfully amazing to me because I'm old :) ) Anyway this one didn't disapoint, in fact I was kind of sad when it ended. I have decided to check out this writer's other novels and I hope that they are less Cassandra Clare this time around (not that it stopped me, like it did in Clare's City of Angels) Anyway this is one YA I liked a lot (although not as much as Rainbow Rowell or Suzanne Collinsç.

Queen of Katwe

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Queen of Katwe is one of those achievement stories and I have shed the required tears and it was not bad but it was not something special (unlike the real life heroine of the tale) either. 

Sicario

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Sicario somehow didn't appeal to me at all when I watched a few minutes of it on another flight. But then I have watched The Enemy and then The Prisoners (great film) and then The Arrival so despite me not really liking Emily Blunt and the first few minutes I decided to give it another try and I'm glad I did because I ended up liking it a lot. 

Logan

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Logan I was keeping in the "to watch" pile to watch on a highly digital TV with a huge screen but I just couldn't wait and watched it on the plane. And as expected it was simply very very good. I love Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (otherwise I'm not really that big on him, seems like a great person though) and he is so good. I actually cried a lot during this one and the tears were unexpected. Highly recommended. 

The Accountant

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The Accountant well I love Ben Affleck so I thought I may give this a try as well (even though frustrated by Live By Night minutes ago) And it turned out to be a more entertaining film with a protagonist who has a disability and Affleck is very good as usual. Ok here is a confession I don't like Anna Kendrick on screen for some reasons. She seems to be a great person (based on her tweets I read in entertainment pages) but I just don't see the appeal on screen. Anyway this one is better than Live By Night. 

Live By Night

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Live By Night I had high expectations for this one. Sure it was not Dennis Lehane's finest hour but still it was not bad and I love Ben Afflect both as an actor and a director. It is nicely filmed with great cinematography and art direction but it just doesn't work for some reason (most probably the story). 

The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom was in the DNF pile for so long. This novel was just not for me. I thought it would be some sort of a fantasy novel but it is historical fiction with a very dry and matter of fact prose. If this is your thing then go ahead but if you are after something like Game of Thrones etc. then this is not for you. 

I'm happy to take it out from the DNF pile though since the audiobook production and reader are both very good.

Spiderman:Homecoming

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Spiderman:Homecoming well I have to say that Spiderman has always been my least favorite super hero (I'm partial to Batman and Wolverine). The main reason for it has been the way he is always so disorganised. His house is untidy and cluttered, he never keeps his appointments, never has any money and he is always in a rush. However I liked Sam Raimi's Spiderman. The origin story was good. Then came the next two films which turned me off again. This one I went into because there was not anything else (I have seen all the English language films the cinemas have to offer except Transformers and a shark film). I ended up having a great time and in this one Spiderman is at high school but he is already Spiderman and semi recruited by Ironman. He is again disorganised, cluttered etc. but it is all in good fun and the villain was a person who has less ambitious goals. All in all it is very entertaining. 

Oblivion

Oblivion First of all I want to say that I believed this one would be in DNF pile. Not because it was not any good but because it was not for me.

David Foster Wallace (RIP) is an exceptional writer. His mastery of prose is amazing and the reason I have ended up finishing all of the short stories. However his choice of things to tell just did not work for me.

The audiobook was very good, the reader excellent. I recommend reading the first story which is a good indicator of how the rest will be and then decide whether this is for you or not. 

2:22

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2:22 is yet another film I have watched to get away from Taipei heat. However this one was not just as a happy surprise as Unlocked was. I liked the story but it took too long to get there and somehow I ended up unsatisfied with the whole thing. The actors were good though. 

Six of Crows

Six of Crows I was sucked in immediately. This is a YA book but it is one of the good ones. Best way to describe it would be it is not as good as Rainbow Rowell or Suzanne Collins but it is most definitely a lot better than City of Angels or Divergent (to which I have only read the first novels). It has a certain "Clareness" to it sometimes (not meant as a compliment) but the majority of it gets it right. I loved the world building and the characters. Ms. Bardugo is a gifter storyteller and I purchased and started the second novel immediately after the first one ended, right then and there. And I was even happier with the second one so I recommend to get them both if you find a good deal. 

I plan on buying rest of her novels. 

The Godfather (novel)

The Godfather is one of my favorite novels and favorite films. I love it to bits and was surprised to remember a lot of it despite reading it decades ago. This was a great audio book as well. Needless to say (but I will) it is highly recommended in any form. 

Wonder Woman

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Wonder Woman's success puzzled me due to it having a children's film rating. I want some blood and swearing in my action films but after I have seen it, I got it. Actually I'll admit to shedding some tears during it. I love the fact that females were strong and smart and capable. The villain was sort of obvious but it probably ended up being a surprise for the kids. The male lead is the dependable Chris Pine. This guy does not have the leading man looks and gusto but he is perfect for roles like this. I had a great time but couldn't help but wonder why Wonder Woman doesn't end the Middle Eastern conflict. 

The Mummy (2017)

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The Mummy was my first choice available to me in Taipei theaters and despite the fact that I'm not very keen on Tom Cruise and the whole Dark Universe concept I decided to check it out for want of anything else to do. I was pleasantly surprised. It was entertaining and Cruise was not annoying at all. I had heard about the stunts in this one and they sure were entertaining. I wouldn't want to watch it again but ended up having a good time (I don't understand the lack lustre box office) 

Unlocked

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Unlocked was chosen only because it was very hot in TaiPei and there were no other films I wanted to watch. I knew nothing about this film but I really liked it. Noomi Rapace is an actress I like and Orlando Bloom is not bad either but it is a female centric action film with a great heroine who is smart, resourceful and badass.

I Let You Go

I Let You Go is an entertaining ride and both the readers were good. I kind of expected the twist after the first one (which I didn't see coming) but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. Recommended if you like the genre.

Allied

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Allied I can recommend if you like the stars. I like Marion Cottilard and she was very very good in this.  

A Kind of Murder

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A Kind of Murder is yet another bad film I chose because I like the lead (and this time the plot). God I kept sleeping and stubbornly rewinding. Don't bother, it is boring.

Passengers

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Passengers is a film I chose because I like both leads. However it was an unnecessary film. Don't waste your time on it.

Four Past Midnight

Four Past Midnight  turned out not to be my favorite S. King novellas collections. The Langoliers is not to my taste at all and Secret Window Secret Garden was ruined by the not so good film adaptation (even though the novella is different) my favorite is The Library Policeman followed not so closely by The Sun Dog.

Of course S. King at his not very best is still a LOT better than many of the horror writers out there.

Midnight Sun

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Midnight Sun turned out to be not as good as Forbrydelssen or Borgen but still it was interesting to watch and the mystery was proper. The best things I liked were the cinematography, the acting by the two main leads.