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brampton's review against another edition
5.0
I suspect that "View from the Top" may not be the masterpiece Ayoade makes it out to be, but now I want to see it so much.
Ayoade's last line in the book states that he hopes his book reconfigures the relationship between us and the universe and that we have the humility to receive it. I hope I was worthy.
Ayoade's last line in the book states that he hopes his book reconfigures the relationship between us and the universe and that we have the humility to receive it. I hope I was worthy.
krishhh's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Occassionally hilarious and incites lots of chuckles here and there but sometimes it gets a bit drab and boring and too dry to be dry humour
Occassionally hilarious and incites lots of chuckles here and there but sometimes it gets a bit drab and boring and too dry to be dry humour
amandalywarren's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
What a journey. I lost count of how many times I laughed aloud. This book is a gem. Can’t believe more people haven’t read this book, or even heard of it! Crazy.
As Richard Ayoade’s stream of consciousness unfolds in these pages, you might think he’s a little off his rocker, but I think he’s brilliant. Also, I can’t imagine the dedication it took to watch part of View from the Top every day for three years—I haven’t even seen it once!
I don’t think that this book is for everyone, but this part-memoir, part-film commentary was so entertaining. Reading it was like a little party, where no one is really partying, but Richard Ayoade is monologuing awkwardly in the corner because we are all looking at him. And we can tell that he’s still talking because we are looking at him, but we can’t look away because he’s just so funny. The party wasn’t really meant to be a stage for a monologue, but we all have a good time anyway—he always says such interesting things.
As Richard Ayoade’s stream of consciousness unfolds in these pages, you might think he’s a little off his rocker, but I think he’s brilliant. Also, I can’t imagine the dedication it took to watch part of View from the Top every day for three years—I haven’t even seen it once!
I don’t think that this book is for everyone, but this part-memoir, part-film commentary was so entertaining. Reading it was like a little party, where no one is really partying, but Richard Ayoade is monologuing awkwardly in the corner because we are all looking at him. And we can tell that he’s still talking because we are looking at him, but we can’t look away because he’s just so funny. The party wasn’t really meant to be a stage for a monologue, but we all have a good time anyway—he always says such interesting things.
andtheitoldyousos's review against another edition
4.0
Finally, a book about the greatest film of our generation! What film, you may ask? What film does Richard Ayoade venerate, dissect, cling to, and live for? Richard Ayoade; the author of several books on film, director and writer of several films, host of a delightful travel show, and beloved cast member/co-creator of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (and many other things) has written an entire book about the forgettable 2003 Gwenyth Paltrow rom-com View From the Top.
Yes, View From the Top; the movie where Mike Myers uses having crossed-eyes as the height of comedy. I truly do not remember if I have actually seen this movie, but I will have Myers bellowing "em-PHA-sis on the wrong syl-LAB-le" stuck in my head until the end of time as we know it. While I found the existence of this movie to be a perpetual annoyance, Ayoade presents it as stone-cold brilliance.
Ayoade gives View From the Top the groveling, pretentious, over-the-top treatment that is usually reserved for the titans of classic cinema. He is so very serious and so very silly. He claims to have watched at least part of the film every day for the last three years. He drools over the dopey choices made throughout the film. He expands on the world around View From the Top and flies it into our current world nightmare; Trump appears several times and the barbs directed his way are far from satire. Ayoade's style is drier than a desert of unbuttered toast. It is frequently difficult to parse jokes from actual observances, but it is very clear when he is directing is wit towards the wealthy morons doing everything they can to ruin the world for generations to come.
I must recommend that if you do choose to enjoy this book, do it via audio book. Ayoade reads it himself, and his voice as a writer is best embodied by his voice as a performer. Am I going to give View From the Top a chance? Absolutely not! Am I going to spend too much time thinking about it? Yes, yes I am.
Yes, View From the Top; the movie where Mike Myers uses having crossed-eyes as the height of comedy. I truly do not remember if I have actually seen this movie, but I will have Myers bellowing "em-PHA-sis on the wrong syl-LAB-le" stuck in my head until the end of time as we know it. While I found the existence of this movie to be a perpetual annoyance, Ayoade presents it as stone-cold brilliance.
Ayoade gives View From the Top the groveling, pretentious, over-the-top treatment that is usually reserved for the titans of classic cinema. He is so very serious and so very silly. He claims to have watched at least part of the film every day for the last three years. He drools over the dopey choices made throughout the film. He expands on the world around View From the Top and flies it into our current world nightmare; Trump appears several times and the barbs directed his way are far from satire. Ayoade's style is drier than a desert of unbuttered toast. It is frequently difficult to parse jokes from actual observances, but it is very clear when he is directing is wit towards the wealthy morons doing everything they can to ruin the world for generations to come.
I must recommend that if you do choose to enjoy this book, do it via audio book. Ayoade reads it himself, and his voice as a writer is best embodied by his voice as a performer. Am I going to give View From the Top a chance? Absolutely not! Am I going to spend too much time thinking about it? Yes, yes I am.
ladysusie's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
5.0
Extreme satire that is so poignant and funny, I didn't stop laughing. Having seen the movie "View From The Top" years ago, I was delightfully surprised to come across this book.
jv42's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
4.75
An important book. Finally.
Also, I read a few chapters and then picked up the audiobook, it's worth it to hear all of this in Ayoade's voice. Would recommend.
Also, I read a few chapters and then picked up the audiobook, it's worth it to hear all of this in Ayoade's voice. Would recommend.
1outside's review against another edition
4.0
Well, despite loving Richard on TV, the first book of his I read, Ayoade on Ayoade was too meta and too footnoted for me to enjoy on all levels, but promo interviews he did about this book convinced me I might actually truly and thoroughly enjoy this one. And I did!
Just like the film it analyses it's relatively short, but unlike the film it doesn't feel neverending. Phew!
Yes I did watch the film in preparation for the book. It did add another dimension to the experience of reading Ayoade on Top but is the extra dimension worth losing 1 hour 27 mins of your life to View from the Top? The answer is a resounding NO.
It's a fun little dessert of a book (which does contain footnotes but there's far fewer of them here than in AoA), and I can highly recommend it!
Just like the film it analyses it's relatively short, but unlike the film it doesn't feel neverending. Phew!
Yes I did watch the film in preparation for the book. It did add another dimension to the experience of reading Ayoade on Top but is the extra dimension worth losing 1 hour 27 mins of your life to View from the Top? The answer is a resounding NO.
It's a fun little dessert of a book (which does contain footnotes but there's far fewer of them here than in AoA), and I can highly recommend it!
emloueez's review against another edition
The most thorough Letterboxd review I've ever read