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Drama

The Fall

July 19, 2021 by Kimberle's Korner Leave a Comment

Recommended TV Series
The Fall by Acorn Media
Who it’s for: Adults

Brief Synopsis: Psychological thriller where a senior police officer from England is brought to Belfast, Ireland to lead the hunt for a serial killer.

Review: I was on hoopladigital.com browsing the tag Crime. I was in the mood for a new police procedural to watch. The cover caught my eye when I recognized Gillian Anderson from The X-Files and Jamie Doran from Fifty Shades. I have not watched many British productions. The ones I have watched have been mostly comedies produced by BBC television. This is a drama produced by Acorn, which, judging by the promotional images, probably lacked humor. I had only watched two BBC dramas but I absolutely loved them (Sherlock and Orphan Black). They were not original story concepts (there are only so many). To me the stories were produced, written, directed, and acted in completely fresh and new ways. The Fall is a TV show about the hunt for a serial killer that focuses on the killer and the police officer hunting him.  I predicted The Fall would tell this unoriginal idea in a way that I had never experienced before that would leave an impression just like Sherlock and Orphan Black.

Thankfully, I guessed correctly. 😁

The Fall seemed like it would be a darker version of Dexter, the Showtime TV series about a serial killer. I really, really, really liked Dexter. I was a little concerned that there might be gore, graphic murders, or rape scenes. I checked the reviews and was assured that was not the case. The Fall was not like Dexter where I got to know almost every aspect of the serial killer and the detectives hunting him. In The Fall, the murder victims and the other people in their lives are not the relationships that captured my attention. I am not sure if it is because it is a British production or an aspect of their culture but even by the end of the series both main characters are still a little like work associates not close friends. The TV show did reveal some things about their personalities and relationships with others that kept me very interested. It was not enough for me to truly root for one or the other. It was a great story but not one that invested too many emotions for me except excitement and anticipation of what comes next. At one point or another, I felt sympathy for Paul, Gibson, the murder victims, the police officers Gibson showed up by being brilliant, and Paul’s family. However, unlike in USA tv shows where I truly felt an emotional connection with the characters, if Paul or Gibson did something out of character, I would be annoyed but not highly upset (like I was with the last season of Dexter. 😤 still mad about that disaster of a season!)

Another reason I decided to watch this show is that it is a British TV drama. The entire TV series ends fairly quickly. It only has 3 seasons (or series as they call it). I consider this a binge worthy series. Every season it felt like Gibson was going to catch Paul or he would turn himself in or something.  I must say that is very good production, writing, and acting when I know a TV show lasts for 3 seasons but almost every episode kept me on the edge of my seat. That is the only reason I binged it. Normally I take my time with TV series; watching 1-2 episodes a day; finishing it in 3 or 4months. With The Fall, I could not wait for my hoopla checkouts to renew. I got the physical DVD copies and watched the entire 3 seasons in about 2 weeks. BINGE. WORTHY. I looked for similar shows. I was told about the Netflix series You which is based on a novel written by Caroline Kepnes. I may check one of them out or both.🤷🏾‍♀️🤔

Find it on hoolpadigital.com or check out the series on DVD!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Acorn TV, Action, Adult, Award Winner, Binge worthy, Character-Driven, Contemporary, Drama, DVD, Entertaining, Female Detective, Fiction, Hoopla, Investigation, Police, Policewomen, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Shame, TV Series, UK production

From Twinkle, With Love

January 6, 2020 by Kimberle's Korner Leave a Comment


Recommended Book
From Twinkle, With Love by  Sandhya Menon
Publication Date: May 22, 2018
Format: Book or ebook
Who it’s for: Teens

“In this delightful romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi, told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy-a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man N begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?” – Publisher’s blurb

This took a bit for me to get into. It was soooooooo High School. The crush, the BFF drama, the awkwardness, the ‘Woe is me’ angst, etc. So very HS, so stereotypical; it made me cringe, laugh, and smh. I would have stopped reading it by like chapter two, if not for Books for the Beast (a YA reader’s advisory conference in Maryland) and the fact her first book got so much praise. I powered through.

It was very amusing with a couple of lil life lessons to boot. If this was a Disney Channel movie, I could have made it through without cringing so much or smh at the mistakes they made. I still would have lol at the awkward moments. Despite all those things it was a great read.

The Indian culture that was in the book was completely natural and did not feel forced. It was just a part of Twinkle’s life, her story. The gay friends felt forced, like an afterthought. I liked the text messages and emails. They made it feel epistolary. The supposed diary entries where Twinkle is writing to directors never really felt like letters. They did not really feel like a diary entries, either. Only at the beginning of the diary entry and when she closed the “letter” did it ever feel like she was writing a letter to somebody.  It felt more like just a first POV novel.

I was considering reading her debut novel but when I was talking about From Twinkle, With Love with a coworker, she said this plot sounds almost identical to When Dimple Met Rishi. Now if they made movies from her novels on Disney Channel, I would watch them all and enjoy. If I was in middle/high school and liked romance novels, I would read all her novels as well. Def geared for upper middle school and High School girls.

Read a High School Rom-Com starring a cute Indian Girl!

 

Filed Under: Recommended for Teens Tagged With: "We Need Diverse Books", Angst, Book, Brothers, Coming of age, Contemporary, Diary Entries, Digital Audiobook, Drama, eBook, Emotions, Epistolary, Family, Fiction, Foreign Culture, Forgiveness, Friendship, Funny, Gossip, High School, Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Romance, Romantic Comedy, School, Secret Admirer, Secrets, Teens, Texting, Tweens, Young Adult

The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas

October 18, 2019 by Kati Leave a Comment

Twilight Zone Radio Dramas
Hoopla Audion
For Teens and Adults

Over the past month or so, I’ve been hooked on The Twilight Zone “Radio Dramas” a radio series featuring adaptations of actual episodes of the classic TV series The Twilight Zone.  The stories are often expanded and updated to reflect twenty-first century technology and society, but the scripts remain fairly close to the original television broadcast. All 29 volumes are available for instant download with Hoopla Digital.  These are indeed top-notch productions featuring voice performances from some notable celebrities. Its like listening to some old-time radio theater complete with the thrill and all the spooky feels.  If you’re into audio dramas, these might be worth a listen.

Find yourself in The Twilight Zone on Hoopla Digital.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Classic, Drama, Mystery, Paranormal, Radio, Spooky

Fighting with My Family

July 15, 2019 by Trina Jacobs Leave a Comment

Fighting with My Family
Format: DVD
Rating: PG-13

If you love to watch WWE, you are going to love this movie! “Fighting with My Family” revolves around Paige growing up in a tight-knit wrestling family. Paige and her brother Zak are given one ultimate shot to try out for WWE. Paige is the only one who earns a spot in the WWE training program. This movie is based on the true story of determination that leads Paige down the path that makes her a star.  This movie also stars Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and cameos many other WWE stars. You don’t have to be familiar with WWE wrestling to be able to understand this movie. Anyone who has fought hard for something will definitely relate to “Fighting with My Family” .

Find it in the catalog.

Filed Under: New for Adults, Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Comedy, determination, Drama, DVD, Family Drama, heartwarming, Movie, True Stories, wrestling, WWE

Elementary

June 7, 2019 by Kimberle's Korner Leave a Comment

Recommended Series

Series Title: Elementary by CBS Television Studios
First Book: Elementary Season One
Who it’s for: [Teens, Adults,]

“Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) is a recovering addict who meets Joan Watson (Lucy Lui) as his ‘sober companion’. Initially their relationship is strictly professional, and somewhat frosty, but they grow to understand and work with one another, eventually forming a friendship and partnership. Together they assist Captain Gregson and Detective Bell of the NYPD, where Holmes’ observational abilities and deductive talent unravel a series of complicated cases. Alongside his police work, Sherlock struggles with a past he left behind in London involving an ex-girlfriend Irene Adler, a ‘nemesis’ in Moriarty, and an absent father.”– IMDb

While I as waiting for the BBC’s Sherlock to release some more mini movies, I was told about this show. The concept intrigued me- recovering addict, NYC, and Dr. Watson as a woman. In addition, I liked the lead actors from their previous work.

Elementary did not disappoint. The episodes were the typical one-hour mystery murder show. Even though they were not buddy-buddy and there was absolutely no sexual tension between Sherlock and Watson, I really liked their comradery. They also had great comradery with the police Captain Greggson, played by veteran actor Aidan Quinn, and their assigned police liaison, Detective Marcus Bell.

I would recommend this to people who like episodic buddy-cop-mystery shows with real backstories and character arcs that run throughout the seasons.

Click to Request Season 1-6 on DVD!

P.S. Apparently, Season 7 started on May 23, 2019.  I cannot vouch for it. I thought Season 6 ended the series pretty well.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Action, Adventure, Being Different, Best Friends, Character-Driven, Detective and Mystery Fiction, Drama, Drug Addiction, Friendship, Murder, Mystery, Police, Recovery, TV Series

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