Camille Preaker has mental health issues. She's a cutter - carving words onto every inch of her body.
"I am a cutter, you see. Also a snipper, a slicer, a carver, a jabber. I am a very special case. I have a purpose. My skin, you see, screams."
But she seems to have things under control now, holding down a job as a newspaper reporter. When two girls go missing in her hometown of Wind Gap, her editor asks her to cover the story, as she'll have the 'inside' view. But he doesn't seem to realize he's sending her back into the lion's den....
There's a reason Camille left Wind Gap and chose not to return - dysfunctional doesn't even begin to describe her family. Her relationship with her mother is decidedly unhealthy. There's something off in her teenaged half sister's life as well. And frankly, most of the town. Flynn's descriptions and dialogue are permeated with jagged, sharp edges and will give you the creeps. I found myself having the scary movie conversation with the book. Leave the house, get out of that town now!
Flynn builds layers of darkness even as Camille starts to bring the past to light. Sharp Objects is a mystery, but it's a also a disturbing and unsettling study of damaged psyches. Hard to read, but hard to put down. Read an excerpt of Sharp Objects.
(That cover is great - I love the cracks in each face. The casting is spot on and I can't wait to watch!)
Although I knew some of what had transpired, it wasn't until I read Diana B.
Henriques' book of the same name, The Wizard of Lies, that I had a firmer grasp on the reality and scope of the fraud and deceit of Madoff's scheme. Henriques's book is excellent, charting, exploring and dissecting Madoff's path in great detail. She ably explains how the crime was perpetrated and how it was able to continue as long as it did. Henriques was a New York Times reporter and it was she who was able to access Madoff for interviews in prison. I wondered how her book would translate to screen.
Oscar winner Barry Levinson is the director. His choice of Robert De Niro to play Madoff was absolutely perfect. His physical presence, mannerisms, arrogance and smooth talking uncannily mirror the original. Michelle Pfeiffer plays his wife Ruth very well.
Levinson brings us in at the of the end of the story with Madoff convicted and imprisoned. Through interviews with reporter Henriques - who plays herself - a nice touch I thought. We know what has happened, but Levinson tells the story leading to this moment through flashbacks. There are some details of the logistics, but the focus instead seems to be on the personal side of things. I had no idea of what befell Ruth and her two sons and their families as a result of Bernie's scam. Heartbreaking, as they truly seemed to have no idea what was going on. It seems there are still those that question the 'ignorance' of family and employees as to what was going on.
Most fascinating for me was Madoff's take on his actions. His claims that his victims had to take some of the blame for losing their money - after all, they were willing to trust him. The last line of the film (which I'm not going to spoil for you), is quite eye opening. I admit, I hadn't considered the possibility until it was mentioned. But, yes, now I think it's true.
The Wizard of Lies is a fascinating look at the perpetrator of this ignominious crime. And at the heart of it you know what they say .....if it seems too good to be true......
A work colleague kept telling me I needed to read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I never got around to it - until now. She also raved about the newly released HBO mini series of Big Little Lies. (available on DVD and Bluray) So I thought I would read the book first - and she was right - it was addicting and so very good! After the last page, I couldn't wait to see what HBO had done with this tale.
Well, I have to say, they did very, very good things. I ended up binge watching over two days - and being exhausted was so very worth it! Now, in case you have no idea what it's about......
"Big Little Lies is based in the tranquil seaside town of Monterey, California, where nothing is quite as it seems. Doting moms, successful husbands, adorable children, beautiful homes: What lies will be told to keep their perfect worlds from unraveling? Told through the eyes of three mothers – Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman) and Jane (Shailene Woodley) – Big Little Lies paints a picture of a town fueled by rumors and divided into the haves and have-nots, exposing the conflicts, secrets and betrayals that compromise relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors."
Wow! The casting could not have been better. These three stars perfectly suited each role. Witherspoon's manic portrayal of Madeline seemed effortless. Kidman's embodiment of Celeste completely captured this private character. Woodley was a great choice for the younger Jane. Fantastic acting. The male supporting cast isn't mentioned, but I have to say they were just as good. Particularly Alexander Skarsgard - he was downright chilling.
The show unfolds in past and present scenes. We know from the first episode that something happens at the school talent show amongst the adults....but what? Police interviews, flashback scenes and memories start to fill in what we don't know - even as the present hurtles towards an inevitable conclusion. Twists, turns, secrets and reveals. Having read the book, I knew that there were darker turns along the way. I thought the way the mini series revealed things was really well paced and so suspensful. The music selections were great, the scenery breath taking, the cinematography was so effective and so much more.
Now, there are always changes when a book is adapted for the screen. The locale has changed from Australia to California. I have to say, I think it was very effective. The lives of the rich and privileged played out better in the US for this viewer. And of course there are affairs - who changes from book to movie. A few characters are missing or their roles reduced. The whodunit for the death on Trivia Night stays the same, but the reasons are not as defined. And things are of course more tided up in the final pages of the book.
I have to say that even though the book was good, the mini series was even better for me. A definite five stars. Check out the trailer below. "Big Little Lies garnered 16 Emmy nominations including best limited series, Witherspoon and Kidman as lead limited series actress, Laura Dern and Shailene Woodley as best supporting actress limited series and Alexander Skarsgard as best supporting actor in the category." Uh huh, that good. Talks are happening with Lianne Moriarty about writing a second season for HBO. Fingers crossed!
What's it about? "Divorce centers on Frances, who after more than a decade of marriage and two children, has suddenly begun to reassess her life and her strained relationship with her husband Robert."
I love HBO series, I've enjoyed Parker in many previous roles and Haden Church is a perennial favourite of mine. So, I should have loved Divorce, right? But I just didn't.
Parker earned a Golden Globe nomination, Best Actress in a Comedy for Divorce. But Parker didn't earn my laughs or sympathy, this time round. Instead I found her to be unlikable, selfish, self serving and surprised when things don't go her way. Haden Church steals the show in my opinion. His bumbling confusion, bewilderment at what is happening and his dogged initial efforts to make things right do put me firmly on his side. His delivery and actions do fill the 'comedy' tag of the show. Molly Shannon adds her manic sense of humor for some over the top scenes that did have me laughing.
Marriage and relationships are exposed and explored through each character's observations and many of them ring true. But in the end, I found the whole thing rather sad and could only watch an episode at a time, rather than my usual series bingeing. I finished it but won't be watching Season Two.
Check out the trailer below for a sample of Divorce....
You loved her in Sex and the City, but have you watched Sarah Jessica Parker in her new series Divorce? No? Well, here's your chance! I have a DVD of Divorce Season 1 to giveaway, courtesy of HBO Home Entertainment. Divorce Season 1 will be coming out on Blu-ray and DVD May 9th.
"Sarah Jessica Parker earned a Golden Globe nomination, Best Actress in a Comedy Series, for her new role in the new hit series. Divorce centers on Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker), who more than a decade of marriage and two children, has suddenly begun to reassess her life and her strained relationship with her husband Robert (Thomas Haden Church)."
Check out the trailer below! Enter to win a copy of Divorce Season 1 using the Rafflecopter form. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends May 13/17.
