Line(s) of the Day #MollysGame

Posted on November 20, 2020 by alexraphael

But even better than the money was the knowledge that I now knew why I had come to L.A. I knew why I had withstood Reardon’s temper tantrums, his contant insults, the degrading cocktail-waitress uniforms, the sleazy, ass-grabby guys.

I wanted a big life, a grand adventure, and no one was going to hand it to me. I wasn’t born with a way to get it, like my brothers. I was waiting for my opportunity, and somehow I knew it would come. Again I thought of Lewis Carroll’s Alice saying, “I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” I understood the profound simplicity of that statement – because after tonight I knew I could never, ever go back.

Molly’s Game (2014), based upon the adventures of Molly Bloom, who ran poker games worth millions for some of the world’s wealthiest men. I’ve also quoted the film adapation here and some useful poker quotes here.

Line(s) of the Day #Pan’sLabyrinth

Posted on September 17, 2018 by alexraphael

Pan's Labarynth

A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess’ soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning…

Pan (Toby Jones) in the masterpiece fantasy horror film Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). Set during Spain five years after the 1936 – 1939 Civil War ended, the “Alice Wonderland for adults” tells of a young girl’s escape into a magical and mystical world.

Film Quizzes: Alan Rickman

Posted on January 17, 2016 by alexraphael

First with the death of the legendary David Bowie, and now with the loss of Alan Rickman (both at the same age and from such a horrible disease), it’s been a terrible start to the year. Quite simply, Alan Rickman was one of the greats. From his unforgettable breakthrough as Hans Gruber, quite possibly my favourite villain, Rickman soon built up a career of extraordinary performances. While some of his most famous roles were as the baddies you found yourself at times rooting for, he was also capable of some of the most tender, vulnerable portrayals you will ever see. Like with my Robin Williams piece, this quiz isn’t so much about the scoring but about a celebration of Rickman’s work. Do you have a favourite character? Which of his films stand out most to you?

Film 1