"The Fugitive" Movie Review

THE FUGITIVE ★★★★★

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If there's one thing you should know about me, I'm a huge fan of thriller and suspense movies. And knowing me, one who really isn't the movie kind of person, this is saying a lot. In fact, there was a point in my life that I had watched too much of these movies that I ended up being a paranoid, suspiciously looking behind me at malls and thinking everyone had a plan to abduct me or something.

The Fugitive was about a man, Dr. Richard Kimble, who was wrongly accused of the murder of his wife. The police believed he was guilty. But while he was on a train - alongside other convicts - towards their punishment (death by syringe), something went out of hands. And before he knew it, Kimble was running for his life. On his trail was Deputy Gerard Lee, desperate to catch him, and resorting to all means possible. But Kimble was intelligent, and this hunt turned out to be more difficult than he expected.

This is probably one of my favorite thriller movies now. It makes me feel saddened about the quality of suspense these days (a review on another movie I watched will explain this), while this, written more than twenty years ago, when technology wasn't as good, was a masterpiece. There was a sufficient mixture of suspense, smart characters, and a good plot. And with Harrison Ford as the main guy, what else could I ask for?

There was some twist too (although our mom spoiled us, much to our annoyance). But what I really appreciated was the fact that Kimble didn't survive just because of sheer luck but out of his efforts. And yes, he was pretty smart too. In what movie did you see the protagonist actually make sure the enemy is secure before leaving? Very rarely. Finally, someone with enough brains to haul his dear life out of death.

Apparently, this is my first Harrison Ford movie. And of course this won't be the last. Looking forward to watching more suspenseful movies involving him.

Review of "Dearly Devoted Dexter (Dexter #2)" by Jeff Lindsay

DEARLY DEVOTED DEXTER (DEXTER #2)

by Jeff Lindsay 

A man who discovers his pants are on fire tends to have very little time to worry about somebody else's box of matches.

I thought I was going to like this better than the first installment, but I turned out to be wrong. There were a couple of things that made me like this, of course. First, I appreciated the effort that Dexter was trying to be normal; and it certainly was interesting to watch and see him try. Second, someone was finally becoming suspicious of our good old serial killer.

But I have a few issues too. 

The Dark Passenger seemed to be tugging on his sleeves to much, wanting to be the driver. How was Dexter actually able to resist this temptation? Again, he seemed too good to be true. Or indeed, maybe this was just the effect of trying to act "human" long enough. That being the case, one wouldn't really be able to expect too much slashing for Dexter's part here in Dearly Devoted Dexter. Speaking of which, Jeff Lindsay couldn't seem to think of new cases aside from cutting off body parts. But at least this time there was a twist.

Sure, Dexter was becoming more human, and yet he had shrugged his shoulders at Sergeant Doakes coldly. But sometimes, he would be narrating how happy he was, etcetera. I'm just saying that Lindsay should be clear about this "feelings" thing because it was inconsistent throughout the story.

There were more things I was quite comfortable about. Particularly, the thing between Debs and Kyle. Like what our now Sergeant Morgan always say, "What the fuck that does mean?" Seriously, when did that idea even emerge out of thin air, and dear Lindsay, we'd appreciate some help, you know. You could at least have given us some explanation. And, more importantly, is this problem that was also present in the first book and I had hoped would disappear: like other authors, Dexter was favored too much by his creator. He was always safe. And although there was certainly some suspense leading to his capture, in the end the readers would feel okay since we all knew deep inside that there was no way he would die, after all. True enough, look at what happened at the last chapter. Our dear boy was saved at the nick of time, while poor Doakes had to suffer too much. Okay, I don't really like the guy, but you'd have to feel bad for him. Lindsay treated him too badly and unfairly, like what he did to La Guetta at the first book. I'm seeing a pattern here. Hmm. Sounds suspicious.

Some tidbits were predictable (such as the thing about Cody), but most of them weren't, so I guess that's a plus point.

Maybe I'm being quite unfair to Lindsay too. But hey, don't take it the wrong way. I love Dexter to death and that's enough reason for me to go on reading to the end of the series.

Review of "Venus in Furs" by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

VENUS IN FURS ★☆☆☆☆

by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch

Love knows no virtue, no profit; it loves and forgives and suffers everything, because it must.

The first part of the book was quite sufficient and interesting enough. The haunting visions of the beautiful Venus wrapped in her furs dominated the beginning of the story. As Severin's tale was unfurled, it became a curious thing to see how far Wanda would go to feed his insane dreams and fancy, which primarily involves whipping him and completely dominating him. Basically, what Severin wanted was to be wholly under the power of a dazzling woman - who Wanda seemed to qualify - or so he thought. At first, Wanda was reluctant to abide by his wishes; she was experimenting. More often than not her compassion for the man would dominate and she would feel remorse for him, enveloping him in tender kisses to assuage the pain she inflicted. But Severin insisted that it was suffering he wanted. And that he was prepared to become a slave to the beautiful Wanda if thatwas the only way he could stay with her.

My love seems to me like a deep, bottomless abyss, into which I subside deeper and deeper. There is nothing now which could save me from it.

Before the contract between the two was signed, Severin has already performed his duties as a servant faithfully, much to the pleasure of Wanda, who was becoming pleased with her new power and position. As the story progressed, Wanda became even crueler and crueler, until a point that Severin began to think that he was beginning to despise her. However, one kiss or one embrace from her would immediately vanquish such thoughts. This became Severin's weakness and was a crucial thing that led him to his sad fate.

Well, perhaps BDSM just isn't my thing, but I found it rather strenuous to read through the passages of torture and Wanda's harsh laughter resonating in the air. At the beginning, I didn't feel the pain much, because Severin actually enjoyed the pain, I too wasn't burdened with the whips and lashes. But as the time passed by, his masochism would sometimes wear off and I'd cringe slightly whenever he received his blows.

The characters are twisted and mad, especially Severin. Even Wanda too goes beyond the boundaries of normal. But then, perhaps the main reason why I decided to pick this up is because I've grown tired of reading about stories where men beat up the women violently. I want a change of scene. And, obviously, I didn't like it either. BDSM really is just not my thing.

Review of "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill

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I'M THE KING OF THE CASTLE ★★★★★

by Susan Hill

Creepy. Disturbing. Emotionally exhausting. 

But in my opinion, I'm the King of the Castle is one of the most well-written novels out there. It seems wrong to say that this is one of my favorite without me appearing to be someone twisted and all that, but let me tell you: this is probably one of the most interesting books that I've read for ages.

This should be more popular, and this definitely shouldn't be priced at 10 pesos (though of course I am not complaining about that part). I will admit, I bought this because of two reasons: (1) the unbelievably cheap price, and (2) because of the cover. I'm a huge fan of impressionist/ post-impressionist art, in case you don't know. And indeed, the painting turned out to be a work of Van Gogh. Anyway, if there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that I'm thankful I bought this one.

It sure as hell was creepy. At first I thought it was a bit boring. Plus, the writing style of Susan Hill was simple and direct; she didn't bother with the flower descriptions (which was a drastic change from the novel I read previously, Paradise County). But soon, I was introduced to the character of Edward Hooper, shocked at his bluntness, shocked at the way his mind worked, given his age. In the beginning I could almost sympathize with him, I sort of understood his sentiments, and the fact that hereally didn't want anyone to come to Warings. 

However, when Kingshaw's point-of-view was shown, it became different. Kingshaw's fears were too real, too tangible, that I could feel everything that he was feeling--especially the way he was frightened about Hooper. The thing is, Kingshaw wasn't necessarily a coward; in fact, he was smart, and he didn't simply let Hooper have his own way. But heck, there was really something about Hooper.

The whole time, I was so tense and my heart was beating loudly, it was as though I were Kingshaw. Before I knew it, I had read at least 50 pages already without me noticing; that is how engrossed I was. I'm the King of the Castle is very hard to put down, once you've started to arrive at the suspenseful part. 

But, I suppose, that's the weird thing. This isn't really a thriller, and the things that Hooper did to Kingshaw weren't really as violent as I was expecting, but they were undoubtedly very frightening. It's the simple things that made everything so creepy. Those seemingly trivial things were the objects of terror during our childhood. God. I could feel Kingshaw's fear reverberating through the pages. And I couldn't believe the thoughts running in my head while I was reading this: "I want Hooper to die," and "If I were you, Kingshaw, I'd just run away and starve myself until I die" and stuff like that.

The characters? They're so difficult to wield into words. But hell, they're realistic. I'm so amazed Susan Hill was able to weave her characters like this. Although I'd say this book isn't really for someone young, I'm the King of the Castle shows that there are some things that adults will never understand. This as exemplified in the way that Mr. Hooper and Mrs. Kingshaw didn't even have the slightest notion as to what was happening between the two children. The kind of fear Kingshaw felt, not everyone could fathom that.

Several instances I found it so strenuous to go on, knowing that Kingshaw would have to suffer again sooner or later. But it's the idea of "not knowing" that made me continue, urging me to read forward because I was desperate to know what would happen next. Who would triumph in the end? 

Oh. And the ending. It was so tragic and sad, but I know that Susan Hill had no choice but to conclude the book that way. In the end, it would inevitably come to that, anyway. But goodness, I wasn't actually expecting her to actually to do it. It really makes me wonder how and why someone would make a novel like this--one that uses isolation as a central theme, one that uses children to symbolize several things, especially our fear.

It's hard to write a review for a book such as this one.

You really need to read it to understand.

Review of "Paradise County" by Karen Robards

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PARADISE COUNTY ★★★☆☆

by Karen Robards

I bought this for merely 25 pesos, and for its price, this surely was a very decent read. I wanted to read some romance and perhaps a bit of a thrill, and apparently Paradise County is the only romantic suspense that I have left. (I do need to start buying new books.)

Let's start with the romance. The tension at the beginning was nice, and as a reader, it really made you want to go on reading to see how things would end up. With the way Joe and Alex disliked each other when they first met (or technically, their second meeting), you'd think they wouldn't plausibly have fallen in love with one another anytime soon. But somehow or another they did, and it was interesting to read about the things that happened in between that gap. 

Indeed, the tension was too thick, especially in that shower scene. Alex's sexual awakening and the way her thoughts went were suspenseful, since it made me curious the entire time whether she'd actually act out on her impulses. The way her desires and thoughts were presented then was quite realistic and forceful, and I really could feel what she was feeling. And, days later, when she actually walked to Joe and kissed him, I was shocked and at the same time impressed with her courage. 

However, when the two finally began to be aware of each other (primarily after the scene mentioned above), the tension had dropped immensely, and I didn't find the romance between them as interesting as before. This continued until the end of the novel.

Now let's move to the suspense. Well, I was disappointed. Apart from the occasional scenes from the killer's point-of-view, there was hardly any thrill at all. I didn't get the sensation that I was seeking--that fingers-ramming-on-the-table and heart-hammering-against-the-chest kind of suspense. Too bad. It was mainly about Alex and her attraction to Joe, her paranoia in Whistledown, and so on. I was thoroughly disappointed that the romance and the suspense wasn't balanced, which should have been the case.

The characters? I didn't like Alex most of the time. I think she was a bit dull in the head, especially in times of distress. Neely could be very annoying, definitely not the kind of person I wish I knew. Eli and Josh were too 2-dimensional for my taste, and there was little development on their part. I think I like Joe best.

I have a few other comments. It was very predictable when Paul called her that the reason had something to do with their break-up. Or maybe that's just me, but I was able to guess it outright. Oh, and the way the universe just seems to favor Alex? It was plain annoying (as I've said, the break-up; and then the fact that they suddenly had to stay to the country for at least three weeks to develop her chemistry with Joe). I had some trouble with her prose, too. It was too flowery, and I believe Karen Robards could have done a great job eliminating those unnecessary description and adjectives. Which brings me, she has this tendency to spend a very lengthyparagraph just to describe the physical appearance of her characters. Okay. How many times did you think you have to mention about Alex being so gorgeous, beautiful, sexy, and Joe being so "mouthwateringly handsome," and "sex on a stick", before we understood? We got the gist already.

But despite that, I think Paradise County is okay because in some instances it got me hooked, and perhaps a bit excited about the romance too. I just thought that the conclusion messed up the whole thing. Sure, it was nice that Neely had a time to prove herself and to showcase her courage,but...the ending could have been better. 

It was very anti-climactic, especially when the killer just suddenly decided to set his lair on fire and escape (which was pretty stupid for him, too, if he really were as evil and cunning as he appeared to be). Then, in the next chapter, everything was okay. All of a sudden, things were already back in place. I could do with more suspense, I suppose. And the ending was just too abrupt. I was expecting more, I was wishing she'd tie the loose knots in the conclusion, but Karen Robards didn't. Anyway, I think I've been torturing this little paperback way more than I should have, but well, I was just hoping that I would really, really like this one.

Review of "Prey" by Michael Crichton

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PREY ★★★★★

by Michael Crichton

"If they were all concerned, why didn't they do something about it? But of course that's human nature. Nobody does anything until its too late."

Whoa. That was such an incredibly amazing read, I don't know what to say. Trust Crichton to make you read a book in one sitting. The longest will most probably take you two days. Most of his books (and I've read quite a lot of him already) I read in only a span of less than a day because it was just so damn hard to put them down.

For the first ten pages, Michael Crichton already got me hooked. He had this amazing skill of being able to transport you at once to the world of his characters, and this being a first-person narration, it made everything all the more powerful. As far as I know, he had never employed family ties as an important element in a story; at least, not like in Prey. It started out as a seemingly trivial episode of Jack's life as he tried to perform his daily activities as a "househusband". Then there was the usual dilemmas family encountered - siblings quarreling, misunderstanding between the couple, and so on. It was a nice change, since Crichton usually made his introduction dramatic and climactic. This time, he was trying to make everything mundane and let us have a feel first of the world the narrator lived in. And the thing is, it was very realistically portrayed, so much so that you'd think only someone who had firsthand experience of familial problems would manage to pull off something like that.

You couldn't complain about the suspense, either, because you'll be getting all the thrill you can possibly want. The whole time I had a difficult time forcing myself not to look at the bottom of the page to know what would happen to the characters.

"We looked at the world around us as a snapshot when it was really a movie, constantly changing. If course we knew it was changing, but we behaved as if it wasn't. We denied the reality of change. So change always surprised us."

I consider Michael Crichton at his best when he wrote about science, especially biology, his expertise. In fact, I'd admit he was one of my inspirations because he proved that science and creative writing could come together. Anyway, usually, I preferred it when he wrote in third-person limited, but I suppose Prey is an exception. The fact that the events could only be seen through the eyes of one person made everything more thrilling; and in the context of this story, it worked well.

Honestly, I can't find anything wrong with this novel. It wasn't too technical, as compared to the others. The details were being discussed in a conversational way that I didn't feel bored. And trust me when I say I really learned a lot of stuff while I was reading this.

I liked the characters because they were believable (not necessarily because they were likable), and I had witnessed their development, despite the short span of time. Although I'd admit, Jack also has one of the faults I found in Crichton's other characters: he was too heroic and brave, to the point of stupidity. But maybe that's what made him human.

Another comment is that some things were predictable. The moment Ricky appeared, I immediately knew that he might be the guy Jack's wife was having an affair with. And although it seemed to be true, Crichton used that seemingly disadvantage to weave something that was entirely unexpected. And because he still managed to impress me, I maintained the five-stars I was intending to give.

Classic Crichton. What more could I say? Definitely something I'd recommend to someone who hadn't read anything yet from this author. It really isn't surprising why this guy is one of my favorite writers of all time.

Review of "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens

A TALE OF TWO CITIES  ★★★★☆

by Charles Dickens

What an unexpected ride that was.

This is definitely not my first Dickens book; I've already read several others before, and thus far, I considered Great Expectations as my favorite. I was expecting that A Tale of Two Cities would change that opinion, this being primarily a love story and all (I am a sucker for romance, just so you know), but while I was reading, I wasn't too impressed.

When I was about halfway the third book, I told myself that Great Expectations still held the dearest place in my heart. I didn't find the romance in this novel sufficient for my liking; after Lucie and Charles had married, I thought that no other predicament could be encountered in their relationship anymore, thus I supposed I wouldn't have a touch for romance any longer. After all, Sidney Carton didn't seem like someone who'd suddenly interfere in their love for each other. I was disappointed with Dickens; for a novel so famously branded as "romance," it wasn't enough. Sadly, I didn't get what I was hoping for.

But then again, perhaps that's what made everything stand out. A good romance isn't merely about love triangles and such. Sometimes, one has to break the conventions and shine on its own right.

I'll talk more about that later. For now, I'll devote a few paragraphs for the characters in the story. I find some flaws in the way Dickens wove some of his characters; in this case, the problem is Lucie. She was just too perfect, too nice, too caring - she didn't seem to embody any fault; there basically wasn't anything disagreeable about her. The whole time I was reading, I found her character very suffocating, and it was a bit of a struggle to read her flowery and polished statements. But if her person wasn't too pleasing, the other women were commendable. The intimidating and domineering figure of Madame Defarge is an exemplary example. You could almost feel her coldness and apathy oozing out from the pages. And, of course, there was Miss Pross. That amazing, brave, and devoted woman - who wouldn't admire her?

For the other characters, I initially liked Charles Darnay, perhaps because of his rather rebellious air. I considered Sidney Carton too insignificant to garner my attention, and how very wrong I was. Anyway, as the novel progress, my admiration for Darnay began to dwindle; he too was becoming perfect. On the other hand, I suddenly became to notice Carton. When he headed to Lucie to confess his love, I was thoroughly irked. I liked Darnay to end up with Lucie then, I wanted the former to be happy after his struggle...but then again, after that chapter, my attention has wholly focused to Carton.

I think, I just found my favorite character so far in Dickens's books. His faults, his flaws, they all made him so human. Toward the end of the novel, when he visited Darnay in his cell, and when the enormity of what he was intending to do finally struck me, I was rendered speechless. Goosebumps dotted my arms, I was too stunned to go on, so much so that I closed the book and paused for a few minutes. He was ready to sacrifice his life, for someone he loved whom he knew he could never have. If thatwasn't enough romance, then I don't know what is. It's the very existence of Sidney Carton that made this novel very gripping and very powerful.

About majority of the time while I was reading, I was already ready to give this three stars, but as already mentioned, the conclusion changed that for me. Although it ended very tragically (as compared to his other works), it was the best choice for a conclusion. I didn't like the second book; I was confused on some parts and the other didn't make much sense. Of course, the third book was my favorite. It made me question humanity, too, especially in that instance when Darnay was freed because of the Doctor's influence - suddenly I felt Lucie's doubts and found logic in Madame Defarge's reasoning. Indeed, what about the others who weren't as lucky, but were as innocent as Darnay? 

But I didn't agree in most of Madame Defarge's point-of-view, of course. She was the embodiment of the crowd surrounding the La Guillotine - although it was wrong to kill the innocent, they'd agree to it, primarily to satiate their intense hunger for blood. It was the exact case with Madame Defarge, she had been too much blinded by her need for revenge, by her grim past, that she failed to distinguish the right and the wrong. A Tale of Two Cities was a powerful novel, perfectly showcasing how the society, how the human mind, works in the midst of a great distress. If there's one thing this novel taught me, it's never to give up on a book. Who knows, a gem might be hiding underneath, waiting to discovered. And the gem that I stumbled upon in the midst of all those mess is something that I will forever cherish.