The Secret Keeper

The Secret Keeper is one of the books I picked up at a used book store in Taipei. I read (listened to) The Lake House and really liked it so I said why not? It was cheap and in good condition despite being heavy (a legit concern when you only have a carry on) I'm so glad I got it. This second novel in, I love Ms. Morton's writing. Her descriptions, her slow reveals, her setting the mood and time, all appeal to me and I'm now very glad that I got The Distant Hours on audible (at some bargain). 

Kaybedenler Klübü

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Kaybedenler Klübü izleme listemdeydi ve Ezel dizisinde iğrenç kötü adamı oynadığı halde bir şekilde gözüme sevimli görünen Yiğit Özşener için izledim. Ve sürpriz oldu çok sevdim. Ritmi yerinde, sinematografisi benim zevkime uyan, mesajlarına sonuna kadar katıldığım bir film oldu. Çok keyif aldım ve filmdeki radyo programı gibi tam tadına bitti. 

Yol Ayrımı

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Yol Ayrımı kalbi doğru yerde ama her nedense bir türlü ritmi tutmayan bir film. Yavuz Tugrul Doğu Asya sinemasına olan düşkünlüğü ile biliniyor ancak her nedense o sinemanın aksine filmlerini çok uzun tutuyor (Av Mevsimi'nde Cem Yılmaz'ın ölüm sahnesi mesela). Neyse ben beğenerek izledim ve epey ağladım (ama büyük ihtimalle filmden ziryade regl olacağım için) ama üzülerek iyi bir film diyemeyeceğim bunun için. Ayrıca Şener Şen annesini oynayan oyuncudan daha yaşlı duruyordu. 

The Chase (반드시 잡는다)

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The Chase (반드시 잡는다) was on Netflix and I really like Baek Yoon Shik (the guy in the photo) he is not an exceptional actor but has a certain dignified presence that totally works for me. And he is a great hot grandpa in this one. Ok this is yet another S.Korean film where there is a serial killer and a girl in captivity. I really liked the emphasis on the old people living on their own being victims of a serial killer(s???) part of the plot. Since I'm hoping I'll live to be a single elderly person living on her own.






SPOILER: This time though we get a happy ending for your heroes. 

Logan Lucky

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Logan Lucky turned out to be one of those films I thought I wouldn't like and when watched (solely for the Soderbergh factor) I loved. I'm not that big on Channing Tatum but I acknowledge the fact that he actually is a talented actor. And I like Adam Driver. And Daniel Craig in this one was hillarious. Ok this is a red neck heist film and it works even though I was kind of confused at the second stage of the heist. It is a good natured film first and foremost and everything in it worked. Highly recommended. 

Crooked House

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Crooked House was not in my radar and I didn't know the novel was adapted to film until my sister told me.  And I liked it very much. Firstly I like the way Max Irons look and I love Glen Close (ever since The Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liasions) and I sure didn't guess who the killer is (I very rarely, almost never do in Agatha Christie novels). 

La Cordillera (The Summit)

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La Cordillera  (The Summit) is not the type of film I'd chose just looking by plot but for some reason I though it was adapted from a bestseller I saw in bookstores when in Buenos Aires. I love the ubiquitous Ricardo Darin (whenever there is a big budget Spanish speaking film, he is usually there, in the small independent ones too) and think the world of his acting but it somehow seemed political and it was but it was also a tense, slow revealing type of film that I really like. The villain is not visible at first but we get to meet him peeling layer by layer and I loved it. Also I liked the hotel the presidents stayed in the film. I really would have liked to stay there for some time. 

The Ones Below

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The Ones Below would sound far fetched if I was told it by someone but it definitely worked for me as I watch it. The sets, the camera (many wonderful close ups) and the cast were all good and I liked it very much despite having frequent moments of shouting "no! Don't do that!!!" at the screen.





Spoiler: Why does the two good Brit films I have watched ended so badly for the good guys and very good for the bad guys? Is this a trend of sorts. 

A Share in Death

A Share in Death is one of the "first" novels of crime novel series that I purchased on a whim (and it was a selection choice of my own). I came with me to Hawaii and back (with a couple of flowers drying among its pages) and I decided to give it a go. It was not bad but lacked a certain certain something. A taste of Britishness you get from Canadian, Australian even Indian novels as well as of course British ones but never (so far) from the American ones. I looked up the writer and it turned out she is American (lived a long time in England but...). Anyway I wrote it off to that and I don't think I'll follow the series (especially as there was an excerpt from the latest one in the back giving a pretty good idea to where it progresses. 

The Eye of The World

The Eye of The World just did not work for me. It was engaging and I enjoyed it but I'm not compelled to read the other novels in these series.I did not dislike it but it just was not for me. 

The Hitman's Bodyguard

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The Hitman's Bodyguard turned out to be one of those good natured action films where the hitman turns out to be rather an avenging angel only killing bad guys and I liked the action scenes in European locales (especially Amsterdam). 

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2

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Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 I think I would have liked this much better if I had not recently watch Thor:Ragnarok (a superior super hero comedy). It was ok I suppose but nowhere as good as the first one. 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi turned out to be entertaining but I didn't like it a lot. To me the first three oldies are perfect and they can't seem to get it right since then. Sure I'm entertained and I watched it till the end but it didn't leave much of an impression. 

Along With The Gods

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Photo credit: www.imdb.com

Along With The Gods stars two of my favorite actors. Ha Jung Woo is a very talented actor and I think him very handsome and welcome Ju Ji Hun who I think very elegant looking. So I put both of their photos here since I could not choose.

First a disclaimer anything with the label "from my sister" is probably a pirated product. She is into that and I'm not but she downloads them to watch on big screen at the living room so since they are already downloaded I see no point in trying to avoid them. This weekend turned out to be a treat of pirated films in this regard.

Along With the Gods was my first choice not only due to casting but also it is a box office champion and Korean film goers and I usually agree. And this ended up being a treat. At first I thought it would be one of those CGI extravaganzas without much emotion lauded only on technical achievements. How wrong I was since it ended up being a first class melodrama making me cry rivers (and loving it). 

Alien: Covenant

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Alien: Covenant was not really on my 'eager to watch' list but it was there and I thought why not (this seems to be a pattern) To my delighted surprise I really liked it much better than the ones that came out after the first two. Michael Fassbender is amazing and the whole thing was suitably scary and action filled. 

Get Out

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Get Out turned out to be as good as everyone says it is. Great cast and a different sort of plot this time. I really liked the actors and the different feel of it. It is very thoughtful of my sister to tape it for me when I was on holiday. 

Cop Town

Cop Town turned out to be tailor made novel for me. I loved every sentence and am so happy to have read it. Audible version is AMAZING. Great reader. 

The Square

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The Square would not be a film I'd have chosen if Lufthansa edited the content but they don't so I said why not? I kind of liked this director's Force Majeure and this one too is interesting and makes one keep watching but for some reason a certain something lacks in this guy's films (of the two I have watched so far). He is very good with actors though and I love the clean cinematography. 

Home Again

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Home Again I knew this was not going to be a good film but I love Reese Witherspoon and thought I would enjoy it  and I was right. It is just not good. Nancy Meyers films are a lot better. I think her daughter directed this one. 

The Shape of Water

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The Shape of Water is a good film but it is nowhere as good as Pan's Labyrinth or even Hellboy. No fault of the cast though who are all excellent. 

Death Wish (2018)

Death Wish turned out to be not as good as I thought it would be. Although some of it was very gory it didn't have the impact the original had. 

Just Wright

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Just Wright is a film I really like dearly. Whenever I see it on TV I watch it till the end. I love the plot, the slow budding friendship to romance and I love Queen Latifah and Common. 

Annihilation

Annihilation is a film I liked better than I thought I would. Although I would have chosen another film if I knew it would be on Netflix.

Dead Certain

Dead Certain was the right book at the right time. I was entertained and it is a decent enough mystery I suppose. 

Black Panther

Black Panther turned out to be very entertaining. And Michael B Jordan is really good looking. I like watching films in USA theaters. The chairs are large and reclining and the pop corn is yummy. 

Cake

Cake is a rose tinted romance where everyone is communicating with each other efficiently and there is no real conflict. I was entertained reading it but it didn't leave an impression. Only purchased because of universal love to it.  

Deceit And Other Possibilities

Deceit And Other Possibilities I probably got because it was cheap on Kindle or something since I don't usually read short stories (only when they are written by a writer whose novels I like). These ones definitely warmed me up to this type of fiction. 

Beside Myself

Beside Myself served all my kinks and I have enjoyed it very much. The lead character is a woman with a mental disorder and it is told very well. It was not what I expected from the plot description (I thought it would be a horror novel of sorts) but I ended up being very happy with it. 

My Soul To Keep

My Soul To Keep turned out to be as good as I expected. I have read another novel from this author about a haunted house and this one is just as good with a smart, accomplished female character in the lead it entertained all the way. 

It's Always The Husband

It's Always The Husband I loved this one. The audible version is very good, the novel itself entertaining and engaging. More importantly it is so good at describing settings that I felt like I was right there with the characters. I highly recommend. 

Before The Fall

Before The Fall I think I got for two reasons, one the good reviews and two Martha's Vineyard (I liked the place very much). It turned out to be a great novel that worked for me on all levels.

Girls Trip

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Girls Trip I watched because I was curious about Tiffany Haddish and it turned out to be a fine ride. I love Queen Latifah as an actress and enjoyed most of the film. 

Murder On The Orient Express (2017)

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Murder On The Orient Express (2017) well this adaptation did not work for me, at all. I like the actors and the novel (of course) but the film staggerred somehow and I was like "come on, get to the point" the whole time. 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a film I was eager to watch. And it was alright but for some reason it didn't speak to me. No fault of the amazing cast and amazingly I like all the actors in it. 

Thor: Ragnarok

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Thor: Ragnarok was my first in flight choice mainly because I liked Taika Waititi's The Hunt for the Wilderpeople a lot. He has a certain humour that may not appeal to all but if you are lucky it will appeal to you and then you are in for a good time regardless of the film's other qualities. Thor ended up being very entertaining not only because of the humour but a good story, interesting characters and a very good vibe emenating from cast. Tom Hiddleston is great as Loki (and I don't normally like the guy) and Chris Hemsworth is great as Thor (again I don't normally like the guy) and both are adorable and fun. I love Cate Blanchett and she is amazing as the villainesse not to mention Jeff Goldblum who is really funny. Great female fighters and entertaining, colourful visuals, all in all I'm glad I watched it. Also it is great that Lufthansa does not censure the content of the films, they trust you enough to choose for yourself. 

Ocean's 11

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Ocean's 11 did not really rock my world when I watched it in theater. I'm just not that big on heist as a plot (unless it is something like The Inside Man) anyway it was entertaining and took my mind off the upcoming travels.

The Night Circus

The Night Circus ended up being a pleasant read but no further.

Final Girls

Final Girls ended up being a good choice. It is a decent mystery with some twists thrown in along the way so the reader is on her toes. The reader is very good.