Nicki J Markus / Asta Idonea

Tuesday, 22 January 2019

Film Reviews: Mary Queen of Scots and Glass

Mary Queen of Scots
22 January 2019
124 mins
R
Josie Rouke (Director)
Saoirse Ronan/Margot Robbie
Drama/Biography/History

Mary Stuart's attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England, finds her condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution. (IMDB Synopsis)

There were things I enjoyed about Mary Queen of Scots. It was a sumptuous costume drama in its way, and I had no issue with the performances of either lead actress. However, it was full of historical inaccuracies. This period is not one of my 'pet' eras, but even I've read enough on the subject to know that. In addition, I wasn't certain about the screenplay. We spent ages on a particular point, only then to rush forward several years, ignoring key events that occurred during that period and contributed to the decision to execute Mary. It didn't seem well structured. Overall I would give this three stars. It was enjoyable enough, but only if you can turn off the part of your brain pointing out all the things that they got wrong.

Glass
22 January 2019
129 mins
PG-13
M.Night Shyamalan (Director)
James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson
Drama/Sci-Fi/Thriller

Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities. (IMDB Synopsis)

Having loved Split, I was keen to see a return of Kevin Wendell Crumb, and James McAvoy didn't disappoint. Once again he was sublime in the multiple roles, demonstrating amazing physical and vocal skill. The story overall was different than I'd anticipated from the trailer, though I still enjoyed it. It was also more emotional than I'd expected. My favourite scenes were definitely those between Casey and Kevin+, perhaps because I feel the same way about Kevin+ as Casey does, so I loved those moments they shared. Split and Glass are definitely my favourite M. Night Shyamalan movies to date, mostly due to how much I love Kevin+ as a character. And he really was the star of the show. Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson came across more as supporting players. A great action-packed yet emotive film. 4.5 stars from me.

Book Review: Moonstone - The Boy Who Never Was by Sjón (LGBT/Historical/Literary Fiction)

Title: Moonstone - The Boy Who Never Was
Author: Sjón
Publisher: Sceptre
Publication Date: 2017 (2013)
Pages: 142
Format: Paperback
Genre: LGBT/Historical/Literary Fiction
Source: Xmas Gift

How I Write: Social Media for Authors

Welcome to my first How I Write post for 2019. Today I am offering a brief overview of social media for authors, based on my personal experiences.

Social media has become a huge part of life, and as an author you really can’t afford to be without it. I’m not saying it will automatically equate to sales, but building a rapport with readers will help to bring your works to their attention in what is a highly saturated market. You don’t need to be everywhere, but having some presence, and doing it well, is key. I am not a marketing expert, but here are some of my thoughts on a few of the main platforms, based on my experiences so far.