Archive for 'video-review'
Film review: Firelight (1997)
Grade: A-
Genre: romantic period drama (UK/USA)
Dear William Nicholson,
I was challenged to find and review a period romantic film that isn’t an adaptation. I was all for it until I discovered finding the task wasn’t as easy as I thought.
All I could find were the adaptations of works by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Margaret Mitchell (Gone With the Wind), Baroness Orczy (The Scarlet Pimpernel), Barbara Cartland, Oscar Wilde, Frank Yerby (The Foxes of Harrow and The Golden Hawk), Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (Les Liaisons Dangereuses), E.M. Forster (Maurice, A Room With a View), Anya Seton (Dragonwyck) and many others. I had hoped Captain Blood, The Horseman on the Roof and River Lady wouldn’t be adaptations, but they are. Damn you, Rafael Sabatini, Jean Giono and Frank Waters.
The originals I did find—such as The Abduction Club, Vidocq, Tugboat Princess, Lady Jane, and Brotherhood of the Wolf—can’t be easily found on DVD world-wide. O world, why art thou taking the mick?
I was about to fall on my knees in defeat when I remembered one of my role models Sandra Goldbacher (an awesome BBC history researcher and documentary maker) wrote and directed a film, The Governess (1998). I tried to …
And you thought we would never finish (me too frankly). I actually had a post in draft that said “I’m sorry but we’ve come to the conclusion that three parts is enough for any video review.” But last night we dragged ourselves into the dungeon and finished our project.
You can read the text review here of The Courtesan’s Daughter which can be purchased in trade paperback. Or just watch the interpretive Lego video. Will there be another Lego video review? Not bloody likely.
Dear Ms. Dain:
 Ned and I read your book a while back and decided to create some lego stop motion animation videos to reinterpret our thoughts. I know, we took some heavy license with the story so here’s our proper review.
Lady Caroline Trevelyan is the daughter of the late Earl of Dalby; the sister of the current Earl; is fair in form and face; and is very wealthy. Girls like her have no problems making brilliant matches unless your mother is an infamous former courtesan. She has come to the conclusion that she was unmarriageable and she wanted to be married; to be loved and adored like her mother.
“The same could happen to you and for you. You are your mother’s daughter.”
Yes and no, and that was the problem. She was Sophia’s daughter, the daughter of a former courtesan, and therefore her pedigree was a disaster. And yet, though she was Sophia’s daughter, she had none of her fire, certainly none of her mystique, and most definitely none of her experience. Fully intentional on her part, on both their …
Gizmodo wrote that it incorrectly reported that YouTube was going to use ad bumpers before video content. Instead, YouTube will have overlay ads. Also annoying but not so terrible as the 30 second ad bumper.
Dear Ms Estep,
 I was never a comic book fan and it’s been a long time since I read one but I recognized a few givens of the standard American superhero comic book. We’ve got your big city, alter egos, intrepid newspaper reporter, heroes, villains and brightly colored spandex for everybody.
Carmen Cole steps into the dual role of reporter and possible love interest. I wasn’t so sure of her reasoning for spending so much time unmasking superheroes wherever she could. Sure her fiance turns out to be one and she discovers this 1) on their wedding day when 2) she catches him shagging a] his nemesis who is b] her best friend but since superheroes are almost duty bound to spend their time saving the average citizen who needs help and/or thwarting the villains, why is the general public so happy that she exposes them and makes their lives more difficult? The excuse that cities want the superheroes to help pay for the damage they cause while battling villains doesn’t make much sense when compared to the fact that they’re saving the city from villains and crime. Do the people of Bigtown …
Dear Ms Bartlett,
 I have to be honest and tell you that if this hadn’t've been a review book, I wouldn’t have gotten more than 1/2 way through it. As it was, I kept trying to think positively and flipping pages. At the halfway mark, I started skimming. By the end, I knew I would not be continuing on with you in this series.
Gloriana Eloisa St. Claire is a vampire and has been for almost 400 years. A sexy Highlander converted her backstage at the Globe Theatre in London where she was scandalizing her parents by acting in an age where women didn’t act. But then she’d already disgraced them by marrying a (now dead) actor in the first place so there wasn’t much lower she could go. At least she thought so until she met Jerry, well that’s what he goes by now, Jerry Blade and he’s still one hot, sexy vampire. Currently they’re in the off cycle of their on/off romance and Glory is finishing up a stint in Vegas before moving on to Austin, TX. During the trip, Jerry phones her to warn her that an old friend of …
Welcome to our inaugural book club selection. I have been reading Meljean Brook’s blog for a while now and when I realized she had a single title release, I emailed her and begged for a copy of her book. She graciously acquiesced and fortunately for both of us, I really enjoyed this book. I’ve been talking it up because the world building in this fantasy romance was remarkable. It really made me think and pay attention which, because I am a lazy reader, I am not always compelled to do. Later today will be Jayne’s review and I hope readers spend the upcoming weeks reading this book and telling us all that you loved and hated. We would ask that any comments on the content of the book be saved for Jayne’s review. That way all the comments are in one place. Come back later and we’ll start up the conversation/debate/snarkfest/heated discussion/lovefest or whatever it turns out to be.
Summary: Kaderin the Coldhearted lives to kill vampires. Sebastian Wroth was turned against his will and longs to die. They meet and discover that Kaderin is his blood bride. Kaderin resists. The annual Hie is starting (the paranormal answer to the Amazing Race). She’s got a prize to win and isn’t interested. Okay, she’s a little interested. The pace is fast and enjoyable until the end when the sugary ending almost ruins it. If you didn’t like the first one, you aren’t going to like this one. If you liked the first one, you’ll like this one. Since Cole made it onto the USA Today Bestseller list for the first one, I am guessing this will be just as successful.
Dear Ms. Kozak:
This book. Well, let’s just say that words are not sufficient to describe my feelings about this book. So I resorted to pictures. You have my permission to use this is an ad for your book, if you like. Just wondered if your book was James Frey inspired or girl with a one track mind inspired?
edited to add summary:
Passion Flower is a writer who decides she wants to learn to ride a horse. Ivan Kozak is a professor spending his summer helping out a friend at his stables. Ivan and PF engage in various sexual escapades wherein PF is mostly dominated and humiliated but after their first sexual encounter comes to realize that she looooves Ivan. When I realized that the hero’s name and the heroine’s name matched the author and her dedication, I wanted to poke my eyes out with the pencil. That’s the story.
Best regards,
Jane
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