Charlotte Harrison Feb 22, 2018
A few words about being in the grip of a very, very bad day...
Less than six hours ago, I wanted it all to end. I just wanted to escape. Everything felt too much, all too-consuming and draining. There didn’t seem a point to anything, nothing at all. Time kept ticking by but the feeling wasn’t easing. It was unrelenting and I was firmly in its grasp. I had to take the day off work due to being ill with the flu but couldn’t enjoy having a day off; instead I was swamped with guilt. I knew I wasn’t well enough to go in, yet berated myself for this ‘weakness’. I knew I wasn’t well enough to mark the 30 essays sitting on the other side of my room, yet taunted myself with my ineptitude.
See related Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams...
A few words about being in the grip of a very, very bad day...
Less than six hours ago, I wanted it all to end. I just wanted to escape. Everything felt too much, all too-consuming and draining. There didn’t seem a point to anything, nothing at all. Time kept ticking by but the feeling wasn’t easing. It was unrelenting and I was firmly in its grasp. I had to take the day off work due to being ill with the flu but couldn’t enjoy having a day off; instead I was swamped with guilt. I knew I wasn’t well enough to go in, yet berated myself for this ‘weakness’. I knew I wasn’t well enough to mark the 30 essays sitting on the other side of my room, yet taunted myself with my ineptitude.
See related Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams...
- 2/22/2018
- Den of Geek
Charlotte Harrison Jan 26, 2018
A few words for those of us who think about things a little too much...
Welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we take some time out and natter about issues that may be affecting you, or people around you. Not every article is for every person, of course, but hopefully there's something across the 28894292 (approx) articles we've run in this series that can be of use!
See related 35 must-watch movies in 2017
This week, we're handing over to the brilliant Charlotte Harrison...
Back in December, at my most recent appointment with my therapist, I spoke about all of the things that were worrying me at that moment in time. All of the things. All of the many, many things that plagued my mind. Things that ranged from causing me mild concern to embolizing terror; the self-doubts that bubbled away, all-to-close to the surface...
A few words for those of us who think about things a little too much...
Welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we take some time out and natter about issues that may be affecting you, or people around you. Not every article is for every person, of course, but hopefully there's something across the 28894292 (approx) articles we've run in this series that can be of use!
See related 35 must-watch movies in 2017
This week, we're handing over to the brilliant Charlotte Harrison...
Back in December, at my most recent appointment with my therapist, I spoke about all of the things that were worrying me at that moment in time. All of the things. All of the many, many things that plagued my mind. Things that ranged from causing me mild concern to embolizing terror; the self-doubts that bubbled away, all-to-close to the surface...
- 1/18/2018
- Den of Geek
Pixar hits top form again with the outstanding Coco. Here's our review...
Pixar. It's hard to think of another studio or brand that is associated with such consistent greatness. It's a studio that has knocked it out of the park, time and time again, with films that are adored by millions of people of all different ages. Its parent studio Disney is probably the only another one, any yet, recent hits aside, there's something intrinsically different about a Pixar movie when compared to a Disney one. There's an added dimension to it, a sense that each of their films reflects the human experience in great and truly moving ways.
Take Inside Out for example - few films of any kind have dealt with mental health so perfectly. For a generation, Toy Story seemed to chart our entire childhoods. Even the underated Brave showcases the depths of a mother-daughter relationship more...
Pixar. It's hard to think of another studio or brand that is associated with such consistent greatness. It's a studio that has knocked it out of the park, time and time again, with films that are adored by millions of people of all different ages. Its parent studio Disney is probably the only another one, any yet, recent hits aside, there's something intrinsically different about a Pixar movie when compared to a Disney one. There's an added dimension to it, a sense that each of their films reflects the human experience in great and truly moving ways.
Take Inside Out for example - few films of any kind have dealt with mental health so perfectly. For a generation, Toy Story seemed to chart our entire childhoods. Even the underated Brave showcases the depths of a mother-daughter relationship more...
- 1/18/2018
- Den of Geek
The Lego movies finally hit something of a brick wall...
The first question I was asked when I told people that I was going to a screening of The Lego Ninjago Movie was "Let me know if it’s as good as the other two movies?" So, I’ll start my review with answering that vital question with a simple answer – no, it’s not as good as The Lego Movie (2014) or The Lego Batman Movie (2017). In defence of this new addition to the franchise, those two films were of such a high standard that it’s perhaps no wonder it couldn’t reach them.
However, it’s not even close to those two films. In fact, The Lego Ninjago Movie is a bit of a dud. In this case, the brick don’t fit.
The Lego Ninjago Movie, belonging to a lesser known range of the Danish juggernaut of a toy range,...
The first question I was asked when I told people that I was going to a screening of The Lego Ninjago Movie was "Let me know if it’s as good as the other two movies?" So, I’ll start my review with answering that vital question with a simple answer – no, it’s not as good as The Lego Movie (2014) or The Lego Batman Movie (2017). In defence of this new addition to the franchise, those two films were of such a high standard that it’s perhaps no wonder it couldn’t reach them.
However, it’s not even close to those two films. In fact, The Lego Ninjago Movie is a bit of a dud. In this case, the brick don’t fit.
The Lego Ninjago Movie, belonging to a lesser known range of the Danish juggernaut of a toy range,...
- 10/2/2017
- Den of Geek
Brie Larson takes the lead in The Glass Castle, that lands in UK cinemas today. Here's our review...
The Glass Castle is the kind of film which used to be more common but doesn’t appear so often anymore – at least to this extent of quality, profile and budget. 'Based on a true story about a dysfunctional family' films tend to appear on tv at anti-social times and on anti-social channels, which varying degrees of success. Thankfully, for the most part, The Glass Castle is a real success. It’s a moving tale of a family across the decades, overcoming obstacles thrown at them by the outside world and each other.
A unit, unlike any other, who spent the childhood of their four children squatting in homes and living in poverty – second eldest Jeannette wrote her memoir in 2005, sharing the story of her unconventional childhood and her deeply dysfunctional parents with the world.
The Glass Castle is the kind of film which used to be more common but doesn’t appear so often anymore – at least to this extent of quality, profile and budget. 'Based on a true story about a dysfunctional family' films tend to appear on tv at anti-social times and on anti-social channels, which varying degrees of success. Thankfully, for the most part, The Glass Castle is a real success. It’s a moving tale of a family across the decades, overcoming obstacles thrown at them by the outside world and each other.
A unit, unlike any other, who spent the childhood of their four children squatting in homes and living in poverty – second eldest Jeannette wrote her memoir in 2005, sharing the story of her unconventional childhood and her deeply dysfunctional parents with the world.
- 9/24/2017
- Den of Geek
Charlotte Harrison Sep 15, 2017
A few words on letting happiness slip back into life...
It’s funny; I don’t think I ever imagined I’d be writing a piece about this.
See related Twin Peaks season 3: Kyle MacLachlan chats about the finale Looking back at Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
As someone who battles with both depression and anxiety, to the extent I felt suicidal during one particularly low period of my life (I’ve written here before about this) it’s something that never felt really likely. I could tell you what it meant to be sad, truly sad, devoid of feeling and trapped by my own self-doubts. I could tell you what it meant to be nervous, crippled by uncertainty, trapped by self-doubt and riddled with self-loathing. Happiness felt so unlikely, far removed and truly out of my reach.
If happiness isn’t a destination, but...
A few words on letting happiness slip back into life...
It’s funny; I don’t think I ever imagined I’d be writing a piece about this.
See related Twin Peaks season 3: Kyle MacLachlan chats about the finale Looking back at Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
As someone who battles with both depression and anxiety, to the extent I felt suicidal during one particularly low period of my life (I’ve written here before about this) it’s something that never felt really likely. I could tell you what it meant to be sad, truly sad, devoid of feeling and trapped by my own self-doubts. I could tell you what it meant to be nervous, crippled by uncertainty, trapped by self-doubt and riddled with self-loathing. Happiness felt so unlikely, far removed and truly out of my reach.
If happiness isn’t a destination, but...
- 9/13/2017
- Den of Geek
A documentary heading to UK cinemas, about people hunting for $3m of genuine buried treasure...
You hear about buried treasure a lot in pop culture - it’s referred to far more often in fiction than it ever actually appears in actual reality. That’s one of the reasons wealthy octogenarian art dealer Forrest Fenn buried $3 million worth of gold and jewels back in 2010, providing only a carefully crafted cryptic poem to provide clues to its location. It’s also the reason some 65,000 people have descended upon the Rocky Mountains in search for the literal buried treasure. The documentary only briefly flickers upon Fenn, the cancer scare that prompted him to bury the treasure in the first place, and the obvious pleasure he gets from the knowledge that so many people have become obsessed with the challenge he has posed the world.
He certainly seems like a real twinkle-in-his-eye character,...
You hear about buried treasure a lot in pop culture - it’s referred to far more often in fiction than it ever actually appears in actual reality. That’s one of the reasons wealthy octogenarian art dealer Forrest Fenn buried $3 million worth of gold and jewels back in 2010, providing only a carefully crafted cryptic poem to provide clues to its location. It’s also the reason some 65,000 people have descended upon the Rocky Mountains in search for the literal buried treasure. The documentary only briefly flickers upon Fenn, the cancer scare that prompted him to bury the treasure in the first place, and the obvious pleasure he gets from the knowledge that so many people have become obsessed with the challenge he has posed the world.
He certainly seems like a real twinkle-in-his-eye character,...
- 9/6/2017
- Den of Geek
From writer/director Francis Lee comes God's Own Country. And it's an astonishing piece of work...
There are few things better than a love story. Although the story could be set in a world unfamiliar to us and featuring characters vastly different from our own selves, there will always be that universal undercurrent, that sense of shared experience. Of feeling, or having felt, just like that in our own lives. It’s when these love stories get bogged down in saccharine sentiment that they lose that emotional connection with the viewer, instead becoming more like escapism than something that reflects the human experience. God’s Own Country doesn’t have that problem. Not at all. Instead it may just be the most marvellous and tenderly-told film of 2017.
Twenty-something farmer’s son Johnny (Josh O’Connor) is the centre of the film, which opens bright and early one morning in the Yorkshire countryside.
There are few things better than a love story. Although the story could be set in a world unfamiliar to us and featuring characters vastly different from our own selves, there will always be that universal undercurrent, that sense of shared experience. Of feeling, or having felt, just like that in our own lives. It’s when these love stories get bogged down in saccharine sentiment that they lose that emotional connection with the viewer, instead becoming more like escapism than something that reflects the human experience. God’s Own Country doesn’t have that problem. Not at all. Instead it may just be the most marvellous and tenderly-told film of 2017.
Twenty-something farmer’s son Johnny (Josh O’Connor) is the centre of the film, which opens bright and early one morning in the Yorkshire countryside.
- 9/6/2017
- Den of Geek
Dominic Cooper stars in the action thriller, Stratton. Any good? Er...
It says a lot about a film when its most memorable moment is an incorrect use of geography. The moment when a character is on a bus leaving Camden and is then suddenly in Piccadilly evoked the same noise from the audience of London-based critics that I imagine would have been emitted at the response to Thor’s ‘How do I get to Greenwich?’ question in The Dark World. It was a cacophony of snort-sigh-laugh that connoted that the audience had officially given up on the film. Even more unfortunately, that was also the film’s most entertaining moment, for Stratton is otherwise a pretty unremarkable caper: a by-the-numbers movie about a macho-maverick-man doing macho-maverick-man things.
Based on The Hostage - book number one of eight in the John Stratton series by Duncan Falconer – Stratton is about John Stratton (surprise!
It says a lot about a film when its most memorable moment is an incorrect use of geography. The moment when a character is on a bus leaving Camden and is then suddenly in Piccadilly evoked the same noise from the audience of London-based critics that I imagine would have been emitted at the response to Thor’s ‘How do I get to Greenwich?’ question in The Dark World. It was a cacophony of snort-sigh-laugh that connoted that the audience had officially given up on the film. Even more unfortunately, that was also the film’s most entertaining moment, for Stratton is otherwise a pretty unremarkable caper: a by-the-numbers movie about a macho-maverick-man doing macho-maverick-man things.
Based on The Hostage - book number one of eight in the John Stratton series by Duncan Falconer – Stratton is about John Stratton (surprise!
- 8/28/2017
- Den of Geek
Charlize Theron kicks ass in Atomic Blonde. The film runs out of gas, though...
“Shall we begin…?”
When the trailer for Atomic Blonde first came out several months ago it became one of the highlights in many a cinephile's calendar. It promised a tale of spies and subterfuge, set during the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, with another kick-ass lead role for Charlize Theron forming imagery that had all the makings to be iconic. Consider the fact it was superbly soundtracked to Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics, almost to the extent of looking like it had be choreographed and tailor-made for that particularly haunting slice of New Wave, it looked like it would be on track to be a surprise summer hit.
There are many things Atomic Blonde does well, very well indeed. First, there’s the overall look of the film – everything about it screams style.
“Shall we begin…?”
When the trailer for Atomic Blonde first came out several months ago it became one of the highlights in many a cinephile's calendar. It promised a tale of spies and subterfuge, set during the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, with another kick-ass lead role for Charlize Theron forming imagery that had all the makings to be iconic. Consider the fact it was superbly soundtracked to Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics, almost to the extent of looking like it had be choreographed and tailor-made for that particularly haunting slice of New Wave, it looked like it would be on track to be a surprise summer hit.
There are many things Atomic Blonde does well, very well indeed. First, there’s the overall look of the film – everything about it screams style.
- 7/30/2017
- Den of Geek
Girls Trip is the comedy surprise of the year - and very, very worth seeing.
If you’ve seen the trailer and read the plot summary – four very different friends reunite for the holiday of a lifetime – you might have some preconceptions about Girls Trip. During the opening five minutes of the film those preconceptions may feel initially deserved and warranted.
First, there’s our central group who initially seem to tick all the boxes of archetypal figures in ‘wild-night-out’ comedies. At the centre we’ve got Ryan (Regina Hall), a woman who seems to have it all. Then there’s her friendly foil Sasha (Queen Latifah) who has a secret. Then Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), the parent who’s become a bit stuck in her ways. Then finally there’s Dina (Tiffany Haddish), the wild card. There’s a cringe-worthy voiceover accompanied with various ‘snapshots’ of the founding college...
If you’ve seen the trailer and read the plot summary – four very different friends reunite for the holiday of a lifetime – you might have some preconceptions about Girls Trip. During the opening five minutes of the film those preconceptions may feel initially deserved and warranted.
First, there’s our central group who initially seem to tick all the boxes of archetypal figures in ‘wild-night-out’ comedies. At the centre we’ve got Ryan (Regina Hall), a woman who seems to have it all. Then there’s her friendly foil Sasha (Queen Latifah) who has a secret. Then Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), the parent who’s become a bit stuck in her ways. Then finally there’s Dina (Tiffany Haddish), the wild card. There’s a cringe-worthy voiceover accompanied with various ‘snapshots’ of the founding college...
- 7/25/2017
- Den of Geek
Charlotte Harrison Jul 18, 2017
Charlotte explains why a woman being cast as the Doctor means so much to her...
My childhood dream was to either be part of Men In Black or to be Batman. Either was fine, I wasn’t too picky. Both wore black, had cool gadgets, a franchise and their own line of merchandise – who wouldn’t want to be them? I was seven years old when it was explained to me that I could not be either of these things as I was a girl. This handy piece of false news was pressed upon me by a group of girls in my class. When restaging this scene, should a bio-pic of my life ever be filmed, I’d use a lot of shot-reverse-shots, high angle camera and extreme close-ups to highlight the emotional trauma I felt – surrounded by a group of ‘cool’ girls from my class (I...
Charlotte explains why a woman being cast as the Doctor means so much to her...
My childhood dream was to either be part of Men In Black or to be Batman. Either was fine, I wasn’t too picky. Both wore black, had cool gadgets, a franchise and their own line of merchandise – who wouldn’t want to be them? I was seven years old when it was explained to me that I could not be either of these things as I was a girl. This handy piece of false news was pressed upon me by a group of girls in my class. When restaging this scene, should a bio-pic of my life ever be filmed, I’d use a lot of shot-reverse-shots, high angle camera and extreme close-ups to highlight the emotional trauma I felt – surrounded by a group of ‘cool’ girls from my class (I...
- 7/17/2017
- Den of Geek
Charlotte Harrison Jul 14, 2017
Charlotte shares her story of feeling like she wanted to end her life, and how she got through it.
Welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we try to talk about things that may be affecting you, or people we know. This week, we're in the hands of the brilliant Charlotte Harrison, who's taking us through one of the lowest parts of her life, and how she got through. Our thanks to Charlotte for continually being so brilliant. We shall hand over to her...
See related A Wrinkle In Time confirmed for 2018
I was 21 years old when I contemplated suicide. For a period of time it was the only consistent train of thought I could maintain. It was the clearest thought, the loudest and – horrifyingly in retrospect – the one that made the most sense. It wasn’t because I wanted to die, which sounds utterly ludicrous,...
Charlotte shares her story of feeling like she wanted to end her life, and how she got through it.
Welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we try to talk about things that may be affecting you, or people we know. This week, we're in the hands of the brilliant Charlotte Harrison, who's taking us through one of the lowest parts of her life, and how she got through. Our thanks to Charlotte for continually being so brilliant. We shall hand over to her...
See related A Wrinkle In Time confirmed for 2018
I was 21 years old when I contemplated suicide. For a period of time it was the only consistent train of thought I could maintain. It was the clearest thought, the loudest and – horrifyingly in retrospect – the one that made the most sense. It wasn’t because I wanted to die, which sounds utterly ludicrous,...
- 7/12/2017
- Den of Geek
Charlotte Harrison Jun 16, 2017
A few words about trying to fit in, learning to like yourself, and living in the present rather than the past...
Welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we try and talk about things that may be affecting you and the people around you. Hopefully, across the articles we've done, there's something here to help you, or people you know. No miracle cures, just a few thoughts.
See related 26 new UK TV shows to look out for The Loch episode 2 review Broken episode 3 review
This week, we're handing over to the awesome Charlotte Harrison. And she wants to talk about superpowers...
Whenever I've been posed the question 'If you could choose to have any superpower, what would you pick?' I'd pick invisibility every time. It's a superpower which may appear self-indulgent or self-pitying (hopefully you don't think this after reading!). It tends...
A few words about trying to fit in, learning to like yourself, and living in the present rather than the past...
Welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we try and talk about things that may be affecting you and the people around you. Hopefully, across the articles we've done, there's something here to help you, or people you know. No miracle cures, just a few thoughts.
See related 26 new UK TV shows to look out for The Loch episode 2 review Broken episode 3 review
This week, we're handing over to the awesome Charlotte Harrison. And she wants to talk about superpowers...
Whenever I've been posed the question 'If you could choose to have any superpower, what would you pick?' I'd pick invisibility every time. It's a superpower which may appear self-indulgent or self-pitying (hopefully you don't think this after reading!). It tends...
- 6/14/2017
- Den of Geek
Charlotte Harrison May 24, 2017
A love letter to The Princess Bride, a film that never fails to brighten a day.
The Princess Bride is 30 years old this year, an anniversary that feels truly inconceivable.
See related Fargo season 2 episode 10 review: Palindrome Fargo: how to make great TV from a great film
This is not going to be an article about the making of the film - Westley himself, Cary Elwes, wrote a wonderful book entitled As You Wish, which does a far better job of that than I ever could. Nor will this article be examining the release – i.e. how it died at the box office but became an instant classic upon VHS release (“For death cannot stop true love!”)
Instead this is my love letter to my favourite film of all time. A film that I love unconditionally with more passion and devotion than any adjective could allow me to describe.
A love letter to The Princess Bride, a film that never fails to brighten a day.
The Princess Bride is 30 years old this year, an anniversary that feels truly inconceivable.
See related Fargo season 2 episode 10 review: Palindrome Fargo: how to make great TV from a great film
This is not going to be an article about the making of the film - Westley himself, Cary Elwes, wrote a wonderful book entitled As You Wish, which does a far better job of that than I ever could. Nor will this article be examining the release – i.e. how it died at the box office but became an instant classic upon VHS release (“For death cannot stop true love!”)
Instead this is my love letter to my favourite film of all time. A film that I love unconditionally with more passion and devotion than any adjective could allow me to describe.
- 5/14/2017
- Den of Geek
Charlotte Harrison Apr 14, 2017
A few words to encourage anyone feeling anxious about making time for themselves...
Hello and welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we try and talk about things that may be affecting you, or people you know. Not every article has something for everyone, but hopefully, if you dig through our archive, you'll find something that's of help.
See related Celebrating Deadwood Timothy Olyphant interview: Justified, Deadwood & more...
This week, we're handing back over to the brilliant Charlotte Harrison, who wants to talk about how rewarding it can be to push past anxiety, this time, by going to the cinema alone...
It began, as these things so often do, with a bet. A bet that involved me putting my money where my mouth is/was. April 2015. For the third month in a row the world of cine had taken £16.40 out of my bank...
A few words to encourage anyone feeling anxious about making time for themselves...
Hello and welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our spot on the site where we try and talk about things that may be affecting you, or people you know. Not every article has something for everyone, but hopefully, if you dig through our archive, you'll find something that's of help.
See related Celebrating Deadwood Timothy Olyphant interview: Justified, Deadwood & more...
This week, we're handing back over to the brilliant Charlotte Harrison, who wants to talk about how rewarding it can be to push past anxiety, this time, by going to the cinema alone...
It began, as these things so often do, with a bet. A bet that involved me putting my money where my mouth is/was. April 2015. For the third month in a row the world of cine had taken £16.40 out of my bank...
- 4/13/2017
- Den of Geek
Their Finest is a genuine, heartfelt love letter to filmmaking in a time of national adversity...
Movies about making movies may just be my favourite kind. It's a meta Inception-esque sub-genre that has provided us with some of cinema's greatest and most memorable moments. Think Singin' In the Rain, Mulholland Drive, 8 1/2, Hail, Caesar!, Hugo and even Tropic Thunder. There's so much potential in the making of the movies - from the creative process through to shooting, post-production and release, there's high stakes, high tension and high drama. With so much on the line for so many people, clashes and chaos are bound to ensue. Their Finest follows this format except there's even more on the line than usual - set during WWII, its characters also have the morale of the entire nation during the darkest of times to consider.
See related Geeks Vs Loneliness: being lonely on purpose Geeks Vs...
Movies about making movies may just be my favourite kind. It's a meta Inception-esque sub-genre that has provided us with some of cinema's greatest and most memorable moments. Think Singin' In the Rain, Mulholland Drive, 8 1/2, Hail, Caesar!, Hugo and even Tropic Thunder. There's so much potential in the making of the movies - from the creative process through to shooting, post-production and release, there's high stakes, high tension and high drama. With so much on the line for so many people, clashes and chaos are bound to ensue. Their Finest follows this format except there's even more on the line than usual - set during WWII, its characters also have the morale of the entire nation during the darkest of times to consider.
See related Geeks Vs Loneliness: being lonely on purpose Geeks Vs...
- 4/10/2017
- Den of Geek
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