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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
I was introduced to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (the amazing book series written by Alvin Schwartz back in 1981) in my Junior High history class. An odd place for sure to listen to this amazing collection of stories, and yet it displayed how these stories are impactful even if you aren’t reading them around a campfire in the middle of the woods. Schwartz had written two additional sequels to his stories in 1984 and 1991 and the incredibly creepy illustrations (by Stephen Gammell) helped to complete a collection of books that are at home in anyone’s collection both young and old.
The 80’s was a decade obsessed with the occult and works of fiction that parents thought were written to corrupt the minds of the youth of the age. Before video games were blamed for all the evil in the world there was Heavy Metal music, the fantastical role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons and books such as these that parents rallied around and attempted to ban from schools and after school functions. Looking back now at the hysteria that this caused is almost laughable, but for those of us growing up in that time it was a very real threat to the imaginations of youth around the globe. Outside of this brief history lesson however, I wondered how the books would translate into a movie.
Our story begins on Halloween night, the year is 1968 and the Vietnam War and the upcoming presidential elections are on everyone’s mind. Stella (Zoe Colletti) and her nerd friends Chuck (Austin Zajur) and Auggie (Gabriel Rush) decide that this will be the year that they get revenge on the local bully Tommy (Austin Abrams) for all his years of stealing candy from them on Halloween. After things go predictably wrong, the young group of kids are pursued to a drive-in theater where they seek refuge in a car that is owned by another out-of-town youngster named Ramon (Michael Garza). As thanks for “saving” them from a certain beating, Stella and the group decide to take Ramon to a real-life haunted house. A place where a young Sarah Bellows would tell stories to frighten children only for them to end up dead days later. While exploring the house the young group discover the hidden room of young Sarah Bellows and come across her book of “Scary Stories”. Unable to contain her own curiosity, Stella takes the book home with her and watches as the words on the pages turn into living nightmares of their own darkest fears.
Produced by Guillermo del Toro, Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, Scary Stories takes a handful of fan favorites and weaves them into a “scary” story of their very own. Instead of simply being a collection of haunting tales, each one serves a purpose, whether it’s the “Red Dot” or “Harold”, each one is used to drive the story even further along. While at first, I was hoping that it would be a collection of short stories featuring these timeless classics, the way in which each individual story progresses the plot leads to a far more interesting experience overall.
Those looking for a movie filled with frightening tales that will have you reaching for the closest shoulder (whether you know who it belongs to or not) will be in for a bit of disappointment. That’s not to take away from the incredible amount of vision needed to bring these classic stories to life, but it takes on a far more contemporary feel, then the dark stories and supernatural visions of the books that came before it. The film comes away feeling more like Goosebumps and less like Freakshow which makes sense given its PG-13 rating and its obvious pre-teen to teen demographic. The movie is still fun however, particularly for those who fondly remember the stories from their youth and is one that will proudly sit beside the likes of Hocus Pocus when it comes to network television down the road as part of its likely Halloween line-up.
4 out of 5 stars
http://sknr.net/2019/08/08/scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark/
The 80’s was a decade obsessed with the occult and works of fiction that parents thought were written to corrupt the minds of the youth of the age. Before video games were blamed for all the evil in the world there was Heavy Metal music, the fantastical role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons and books such as these that parents rallied around and attempted to ban from schools and after school functions. Looking back now at the hysteria that this caused is almost laughable, but for those of us growing up in that time it was a very real threat to the imaginations of youth around the globe. Outside of this brief history lesson however, I wondered how the books would translate into a movie.
Our story begins on Halloween night, the year is 1968 and the Vietnam War and the upcoming presidential elections are on everyone’s mind. Stella (Zoe Colletti) and her nerd friends Chuck (Austin Zajur) and Auggie (Gabriel Rush) decide that this will be the year that they get revenge on the local bully Tommy (Austin Abrams) for all his years of stealing candy from them on Halloween. After things go predictably wrong, the young group of kids are pursued to a drive-in theater where they seek refuge in a car that is owned by another out-of-town youngster named Ramon (Michael Garza). As thanks for “saving” them from a certain beating, Stella and the group decide to take Ramon to a real-life haunted house. A place where a young Sarah Bellows would tell stories to frighten children only for them to end up dead days later. While exploring the house the young group discover the hidden room of young Sarah Bellows and come across her book of “Scary Stories”. Unable to contain her own curiosity, Stella takes the book home with her and watches as the words on the pages turn into living nightmares of their own darkest fears.
Produced by Guillermo del Toro, Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, Scary Stories takes a handful of fan favorites and weaves them into a “scary” story of their very own. Instead of simply being a collection of haunting tales, each one serves a purpose, whether it’s the “Red Dot” or “Harold”, each one is used to drive the story even further along. While at first, I was hoping that it would be a collection of short stories featuring these timeless classics, the way in which each individual story progresses the plot leads to a far more interesting experience overall.
Those looking for a movie filled with frightening tales that will have you reaching for the closest shoulder (whether you know who it belongs to or not) will be in for a bit of disappointment. That’s not to take away from the incredible amount of vision needed to bring these classic stories to life, but it takes on a far more contemporary feel, then the dark stories and supernatural visions of the books that came before it. The film comes away feeling more like Goosebumps and less like Freakshow which makes sense given its PG-13 rating and its obvious pre-teen to teen demographic. The movie is still fun however, particularly for those who fondly remember the stories from their youth and is one that will proudly sit beside the likes of Hocus Pocus when it comes to network television down the road as part of its likely Halloween line-up.
4 out of 5 stars
http://sknr.net/2019/08/08/scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark/
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Scavengers in Books
Dec 5, 2020
Surprisingly amazing book!!
Scavengers by Alessandra Melville is ideal for those who like post-apocalyptic stories. While readers won’t find zombies in these pages they will discover a world with Fallout tones mixed with Divergent.
Olivia Taylor lives safely within the confines of the Community along with other survivors. This Community was founded after a virus outbreak to protect the survivors from raider attacks. Unfortunately not all is perfect in the Community. Soaring temperatures and a lack of resources mixed with the ever present threat of discovery cause the Community’s numbers to drop, resulting in the need for a Scavenging trip. Olivia and all the other children of the Community that are of age report to volunteer to scavenge and this year she is finally picked. Now along with four others Olivia must leave the safety of the Community in an attempt to bring back supplies, food, and new members or not come back at all.
Before the foundation of the Community disaster struck the world. A virus ran rampant and high temperatures cause drought and dehydration. Out of desperation the entire Taylor family leaves their home, along with many others, in search of a safer place to live. Yet in a world that is falling apart danger is everywhere and the journey is not an easy one. Finally they meet up with others fleeing the city but they have to stop and wonder if anywhere is safe anymore.
I was very happy to find halfway through the book that it changes focus from Olivia to Grace. This answered many questions that I was beginning to forum but was afraid I would never get an answer too, and yet did not explain everything. The book is also well detailed and I can sense a well thought out backstory driving everything. I wanted more out of the book in the end for both parts of the story. The cliffhangers and unanswered questions would easily be fixed with a sequel that I feel this book deserves. Although this is a full length book it still felt more like a teaser than anything.
Teens and young adults will enjoy this book just as much if not more so than adults. While there are hints toward sexual activities both wanted and not nothing happens with any detail and will go over the heads of many young readers. The young readers will enjoy the story and I suppose some of the older readers will start questioning just how these events came to pass. I rate this book 4 out of 4. This book deserves a sequel. It is very well written and an enjoyable book with a style that reminded me of Hunger Games (along with a few others previously mentioned). It could easily make itself at home on shelves right alongside other such dystopian books. This book is so gripping a read that many reader should be able to finish it in just a couple of days.
Scavengers | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers
Olivia Taylor lives safely within the confines of the Community along with other survivors. This Community was founded after a virus outbreak to protect the survivors from raider attacks. Unfortunately not all is perfect in the Community. Soaring temperatures and a lack of resources mixed with the ever present threat of discovery cause the Community’s numbers to drop, resulting in the need for a Scavenging trip. Olivia and all the other children of the Community that are of age report to volunteer to scavenge and this year she is finally picked. Now along with four others Olivia must leave the safety of the Community in an attempt to bring back supplies, food, and new members or not come back at all.
Before the foundation of the Community disaster struck the world. A virus ran rampant and high temperatures cause drought and dehydration. Out of desperation the entire Taylor family leaves their home, along with many others, in search of a safer place to live. Yet in a world that is falling apart danger is everywhere and the journey is not an easy one. Finally they meet up with others fleeing the city but they have to stop and wonder if anywhere is safe anymore.
I was very happy to find halfway through the book that it changes focus from Olivia to Grace. This answered many questions that I was beginning to forum but was afraid I would never get an answer too, and yet did not explain everything. The book is also well detailed and I can sense a well thought out backstory driving everything. I wanted more out of the book in the end for both parts of the story. The cliffhangers and unanswered questions would easily be fixed with a sequel that I feel this book deserves. Although this is a full length book it still felt more like a teaser than anything.
Teens and young adults will enjoy this book just as much if not more so than adults. While there are hints toward sexual activities both wanted and not nothing happens with any detail and will go over the heads of many young readers. The young readers will enjoy the story and I suppose some of the older readers will start questioning just how these events came to pass. I rate this book 4 out of 4. This book deserves a sequel. It is very well written and an enjoyable book with a style that reminded me of Hunger Games (along with a few others previously mentioned). It could easily make itself at home on shelves right alongside other such dystopian books. This book is so gripping a read that many reader should be able to finish it in just a couple of days.
Scavengers | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Where We Belong in Books
Mar 5, 2019
In the year 1892, the principles; that is the manners and customs for Victorian women were strict and their roles were limited. It was frowned upon for ladies to further their education but for the Hawes sisters, things were different. Their love for adventure and their search for God's purpose in their lives leads them on an adventure of a lifetime to the Sinai Desert.
On a quest to find an important biblical manuscript, joined by their butler and ladies maid Kate, the four find themselves on a journey that is dangerous and uncertain; the four travelers find themselves looking back at their past and the events that help shape them into who they are and what brought them to this point in their lives.
Author Lynn Austin has done a wonderful job of research. She has written this novel from the inspiration taken from the true story of twin sisters Agnes and Margret Smith; who were born in Scotland in 1843.
This novel was a joy to read and hard to put down. The characters were very easy to relate to and the storyline was fascinating.
I truly enjoyed every aspect of this story, the determination of the ladies, to the principles they stood up for and their love for God.
This is an exceptional read and anyone who loves historical fiction will truly enjoy this.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
On a quest to find an important biblical manuscript, joined by their butler and ladies maid Kate, the four find themselves on a journey that is dangerous and uncertain; the four travelers find themselves looking back at their past and the events that help shape them into who they are and what brought them to this point in their lives.
Author Lynn Austin has done a wonderful job of research. She has written this novel from the inspiration taken from the true story of twin sisters Agnes and Margret Smith; who were born in Scotland in 1843.
This novel was a joy to read and hard to put down. The characters were very easy to relate to and the storyline was fascinating.
I truly enjoyed every aspect of this story, the determination of the ladies, to the principles they stood up for and their love for God.
This is an exceptional read and anyone who loves historical fiction will truly enjoy this.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
MM
Mexico Modern: Art, Commerce and Cultural Exchange
Donald Albrecht and Thomas Mellins
Book
The international popularity and prestige of modern Mexican art during the 1920s and 1930s grew out...
Merissa (12934 KP) rated A Little Christmas! Matty's Secret in Books
Dec 12, 2023
MATTY'S SECRET is part of the multi-author A Little Christmas: Season 2 series. We have met Matty before as he is Gaines' best friend. It's finally time for him to get his own Daddy. The romance between Matty and Weston was so smooth, it was divine. The pitfalls that happen aren't anything to do with them, but with Matty's ex, a thoroughly loathsome toad by the name of Putrid Peter. Trust me, it fits!
I absolutely adored how we got Matty and Weston's story, while also catching up with Warner and Terrance, and Austin and Gaines. There were other names I'm not familiar with, so I'll be on the lookout for those, but I'm REALLY hoping Arlo and Lewis are somewhere on JP Sayle's list of books to write. 😍
Another thing I loved was how Matty loves his foxes, and they were incorporated into everyday life for him by Weston. I loved Mr Tod and those plates were a magic touch.
I stopped reading for a minute in a couple of places, usually when the exercises were being described. This was nothing to do with the author and everything to do with me having aphantasia. I simply had no idea what they were doing! LOL It sounded good though.
A sweet, cheeky, sweaty, and heartstopping story full of goodness. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 7, 2023
I absolutely adored how we got Matty and Weston's story, while also catching up with Warner and Terrance, and Austin and Gaines. There were other names I'm not familiar with, so I'll be on the lookout for those, but I'm REALLY hoping Arlo and Lewis are somewhere on JP Sayle's list of books to write. 😍
Another thing I loved was how Matty loves his foxes, and they were incorporated into everyday life for him by Weston. I loved Mr Tod and those plates were a magic touch.
I stopped reading for a minute in a couple of places, usually when the exercises were being described. This was nothing to do with the author and everything to do with me having aphantasia. I simply had no idea what they were doing! LOL It sounded good though.
A sweet, cheeky, sweaty, and heartstopping story full of goodness. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 7, 2023
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Emergency Contact in Books
Oct 8, 2020
This is the fifth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Penny Lee is heading to college in Austin, Texas to finally start her life. She's leaving behind her needy Mom, her annoying boyfriend, and everything else. She wants to become a writer and now, she thinks, is when her life will truly begin. For Sam, his life in Austin is at a standstill. He's broken up with his girlfriend and is living above the coffee shop where he works. He has a mattress on the floor, a dying laptop, and a dream of becoming a movie director. When Sam and Penny meet, it's not glamorous or romantic. They know each other, vaguely, via Penny's roommate, Jude. But they soon are texting each other--a lot. Sharing everything about their lives, all the time. But can the two maintain this intimate friendship if they meet again in real life?
I absolutely loved this book. There was just something about it that spoke to me, and I was lost in Sam and Penny's world from practically the first page. I had to laugh, because I read some other reviews that maligned Penny, calling her an unlikable character. However, I felt like Penny was ME--I empathized with her character so much, and found so many good lines in the books that I could relate with. (What that says about me, we won't go into, ha.)
This was such a funny, sweet, and real story. I didn't find Sam and Penny's relationship to be insta-love whatsoever as they bonded over text. As anyone who has met someone and shared things online knows, it can become something so deep and private--offering something about yourself with someone you don't see. I loved the wit and sarcasm in their texts. These are my kind of people--funny, wounded, and just so them.
There's definitely seriousness to this book, and the theme of family runs across the entire novel. Sam and Jude are oddly related in a way I won't unpack here. Sam and Penny both have complicated and difficult relationships with their mothers. Penny's mom is a character unto herself. And we see friendship presented in various ways, including Penny's relationship with Jude, and Jude's best friend, Mallory. I loved all the characters, who are each so individualistic.
Overall, this was just a great book for me. It's funny yet dark at times and the humor was right up my alley. I fell hard for the characters, so everything hit me right in the gut. I can see how it might not be for everyone, but I think it's definitely worth a read. I'm glad my challenge made me finally pick this one up. 4.5 stars.
Penny Lee is heading to college in Austin, Texas to finally start her life. She's leaving behind her needy Mom, her annoying boyfriend, and everything else. She wants to become a writer and now, she thinks, is when her life will truly begin. For Sam, his life in Austin is at a standstill. He's broken up with his girlfriend and is living above the coffee shop where he works. He has a mattress on the floor, a dying laptop, and a dream of becoming a movie director. When Sam and Penny meet, it's not glamorous or romantic. They know each other, vaguely, via Penny's roommate, Jude. But they soon are texting each other--a lot. Sharing everything about their lives, all the time. But can the two maintain this intimate friendship if they meet again in real life?
I absolutely loved this book. There was just something about it that spoke to me, and I was lost in Sam and Penny's world from practically the first page. I had to laugh, because I read some other reviews that maligned Penny, calling her an unlikable character. However, I felt like Penny was ME--I empathized with her character so much, and found so many good lines in the books that I could relate with. (What that says about me, we won't go into, ha.)
This was such a funny, sweet, and real story. I didn't find Sam and Penny's relationship to be insta-love whatsoever as they bonded over text. As anyone who has met someone and shared things online knows, it can become something so deep and private--offering something about yourself with someone you don't see. I loved the wit and sarcasm in their texts. These are my kind of people--funny, wounded, and just so them.
There's definitely seriousness to this book, and the theme of family runs across the entire novel. Sam and Jude are oddly related in a way I won't unpack here. Sam and Penny both have complicated and difficult relationships with their mothers. Penny's mom is a character unto herself. And we see friendship presented in various ways, including Penny's relationship with Jude, and Jude's best friend, Mallory. I loved all the characters, who are each so individualistic.
Overall, this was just a great book for me. It's funny yet dark at times and the humor was right up my alley. I fell hard for the characters, so everything hit me right in the gut. I can see how it might not be for everyone, but I think it's definitely worth a read. I'm glad my challenge made me finally pick this one up. 4.5 stars.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) in Movies
Aug 11, 2019 (Updated Aug 11, 2019)
The monsters. (1 more)
Special effects - blend of CG and practical.
The Pale Lady. (2 more)
Basic rinse and repeat horror formula.
No emotional attachment to characters.
Fishing for Turds
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is probably considered the introduction to horror fiction for anyone who was in middle school in the mid to late 1990s. I distinctly remember checking out at least one of the books before I was a teenager, but the story that has stuck with me multiple decades later has and always will be, “The Red Spot.” The thing about the Scary Stories books is that they were just these random collections of creepy tales meant to make the reader anxious, uneasy, or even frightened, so the fact that somebody attempted to make a coherent film out of a jumbled mix of stories from all three books is kind of incredible.
The horror film directed by André Øvredal (Trollhunter, The Autopsy of Jane Doe) follows a group of teenagers in the small town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania during Halloween in 1968. Stella (Zoe Colletti) is a die-hard fan of the horror genre, Auggie (Gabriel Rush) is a bit too infatuated with girls for his own good, and Chuck (Austin Zajur) lives on candy and pranks when he’s not driving his older sister Ruth (Natalie Ganzhorn) insane. They cross paths with a mysterious drifter named Ramon (Michael Garza) who joins the group seemingly out of boredom.
They initially use trick or treating as a front for revenge against local jock and full-time bully Tommy (Austin Abrams), which leads them to a condemned and rumored to be haunted house of the Bellows family. Sarah Bellows lived in isolation and dramatically killed herself because of her family. Sarah turned her devastating life into inspiration for a series of terrifying stories. After Stella discovers the book Sarah wrote her stories in, strange things begin happening in Mill Valley and everyone in the Bellows house from that night becomes a target.
The monsters of the film attempt to be as explicitly accurate as possible to Stephen Gammell’s original illustrations from the Scary Stories books. This typically pays off, especially with Harold the Scarecrow and The Toe Monster but it seems to backfire with The Pale Lady. While she does still look like a living incarnation of Gammell’s artwork, the story has the weakest conclusion of the entire film. Scary Stories makes up for this by introducing The Jangly Man, who is seriously worth the price of admission alone even if you typically can’t understand a word that he says. The Jangly Man contorts his body in the most inhuman of ways, can separate all of his limbs from his torso, and has this bloodcurdling voice that rattles your insides.
There’s been an emphasis on the lack of a narrative in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. That may be true, but the film is based on a trilogy of books that is close to thirty years old and is supposed to be aimed at younger readers. The film adapts the stories in a way that isn’t totally successful, but it is surprisingly great at times. Despite some recognizable names in the supporting cast such as Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Gil Bellows (The Shawshank Redemption), and Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black), the main cast is mostly filled with unknowns. Some reviews claim that the acting isn’t up to par, but I was pleasantly surprised. Austin Zajur can be annoying as the mischievous Chuck, but he was also rather humorous the majority of the time. Zoe Colletti goes a little overboard when she cries, but she’s also solid when she gushes over horror. Austin Abrams is seriously nasty as Tommy. He is always sweaty and has no remorse for anyone. He takes bullying to frightening heights.
I guess I expected the film to be corny (pun intended) with lame PG-13 kills and a cast that had no idea what they were doing. The film managed to make me a fan during the Harold segment. That surround sound in the cornfield is masterful with the wind blowing through corn stalks in every direction and the rusty creaking of the scarecrow as he tries to walk. How these teenagers are terrorized manages to transcend what movie ratings typically mean for a given film; this would be unsettling regardless of what it’s rated or how old the viewer is.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is not a perfect horror anthology since it’s extremely simple in concept. A monster shows up, a kid disappears, and then it’s rinse and repeat for an hour and 47 minutes. At the same time though, it’s probably the scariest film of the summer and could potentially become the next big horror franchise. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark could easily take over where the Final Destination films left off or even be this generation’s answer to that. The practical effects mixed with just the right amount of CGI for the monsters are what really sell the film. Despite being as disjointed and unnatural as The Jangly Man, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is way more amusing and eerie than it has any right to be.
The horror film directed by André Øvredal (Trollhunter, The Autopsy of Jane Doe) follows a group of teenagers in the small town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania during Halloween in 1968. Stella (Zoe Colletti) is a die-hard fan of the horror genre, Auggie (Gabriel Rush) is a bit too infatuated with girls for his own good, and Chuck (Austin Zajur) lives on candy and pranks when he’s not driving his older sister Ruth (Natalie Ganzhorn) insane. They cross paths with a mysterious drifter named Ramon (Michael Garza) who joins the group seemingly out of boredom.
They initially use trick or treating as a front for revenge against local jock and full-time bully Tommy (Austin Abrams), which leads them to a condemned and rumored to be haunted house of the Bellows family. Sarah Bellows lived in isolation and dramatically killed herself because of her family. Sarah turned her devastating life into inspiration for a series of terrifying stories. After Stella discovers the book Sarah wrote her stories in, strange things begin happening in Mill Valley and everyone in the Bellows house from that night becomes a target.
The monsters of the film attempt to be as explicitly accurate as possible to Stephen Gammell’s original illustrations from the Scary Stories books. This typically pays off, especially with Harold the Scarecrow and The Toe Monster but it seems to backfire with The Pale Lady. While she does still look like a living incarnation of Gammell’s artwork, the story has the weakest conclusion of the entire film. Scary Stories makes up for this by introducing The Jangly Man, who is seriously worth the price of admission alone even if you typically can’t understand a word that he says. The Jangly Man contorts his body in the most inhuman of ways, can separate all of his limbs from his torso, and has this bloodcurdling voice that rattles your insides.
There’s been an emphasis on the lack of a narrative in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. That may be true, but the film is based on a trilogy of books that is close to thirty years old and is supposed to be aimed at younger readers. The film adapts the stories in a way that isn’t totally successful, but it is surprisingly great at times. Despite some recognizable names in the supporting cast such as Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Gil Bellows (The Shawshank Redemption), and Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black), the main cast is mostly filled with unknowns. Some reviews claim that the acting isn’t up to par, but I was pleasantly surprised. Austin Zajur can be annoying as the mischievous Chuck, but he was also rather humorous the majority of the time. Zoe Colletti goes a little overboard when she cries, but she’s also solid when she gushes over horror. Austin Abrams is seriously nasty as Tommy. He is always sweaty and has no remorse for anyone. He takes bullying to frightening heights.
I guess I expected the film to be corny (pun intended) with lame PG-13 kills and a cast that had no idea what they were doing. The film managed to make me a fan during the Harold segment. That surround sound in the cornfield is masterful with the wind blowing through corn stalks in every direction and the rusty creaking of the scarecrow as he tries to walk. How these teenagers are terrorized manages to transcend what movie ratings typically mean for a given film; this would be unsettling regardless of what it’s rated or how old the viewer is.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is not a perfect horror anthology since it’s extremely simple in concept. A monster shows up, a kid disappears, and then it’s rinse and repeat for an hour and 47 minutes. At the same time though, it’s probably the scariest film of the summer and could potentially become the next big horror franchise. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark could easily take over where the Final Destination films left off or even be this generation’s answer to that. The practical effects mixed with just the right amount of CGI for the monsters are what really sell the film. Despite being as disjointed and unnatural as The Jangly Man, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is way more amusing and eerie than it has any right to be.
Merissa (12934 KP) rated Carrillo's Cowboy in Books
Mar 25, 2021 (Updated Aug 2, 2023)
CARRILLO'S COWBOY is a quick read that still manages to give you a full story. Now, I'm not saying that everything is there. You know how I always want more! What I can say is within the pages you are given, you get more than enough to make your own mind up about the characters.
Callie is trying hard, so hard, to keep her father's ranch alive. She has some good friends to help, plus a rodeo to organise, but she could always use more help. Luckily for her, that appears in the shape of Cody, a drifter who wants to find a reason to stay. And luckily for him (!) those reasons are Callie and her children.
Oh, did my heart break for Austin. Poor lad. He wanted so much to be loved by his dad (who was a first-class jerk, can I just say!). Grace is the other child, and she is the one who doesn't seem fazed by the move to the country, or the lack of contact from her dad. All of the characters are written brilliantly, giving you insight into their world.
With a smooth pace and storyline to keep me turning the pages, Carrillo's Cowboy was just what I needed. Of course, now I need more in this world. I need to know Wal survives for another rodeo for a start!
A great novella that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 25, 2021
Callie is trying hard, so hard, to keep her father's ranch alive. She has some good friends to help, plus a rodeo to organise, but she could always use more help. Luckily for her, that appears in the shape of Cody, a drifter who wants to find a reason to stay. And luckily for him (!) those reasons are Callie and her children.
Oh, did my heart break for Austin. Poor lad. He wanted so much to be loved by his dad (who was a first-class jerk, can I just say!). Grace is the other child, and she is the one who doesn't seem fazed by the move to the country, or the lack of contact from her dad. All of the characters are written brilliantly, giving you insight into their world.
With a smooth pace and storyline to keep me turning the pages, Carrillo's Cowboy was just what I needed. Of course, now I need more in this world. I need to know Wal survives for another rodeo for a start!
A great novella that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 25, 2021
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Zoolander 2 (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Zoolander 2” picks up just a couple days after the first film left off. Staying true to the story line, Zoolander and Hansel are as vapid as ever and have retreated to lives in exile after the school for children who couldn’t read good (or whatever) collapsed due to shoddy construction. With their dreams dashed, both models are licking their wounds when they are summoned back into the world of fashion by a disgustingly beautiful fashionista with the Botox of the gods, Alexanya Ato (Kristen Wiig). With a face that can hardly move Ato is unsettlingly inviting.
For Zoolander and Hansel, the world they once knew has been taken over by today’s most annoying pop stars and what is now known as – “mainstream hipster society.”
Reminiscent of the “Austin Powers” series, Penelope Cruz leads a high speed action-spy adventure (cheesy as it may sound, it’s pretty great) as Melanie Valentina, working for Interpol “fashion division.” Cruz sets out to discover who has been killing Hollywood’s famous faces following Bieber’s tragic, and very graphic, death.
Inadvertently, due to Zoolander’s irresistible good looks, Cruz embarks on a mission to help him reunite with his estranged son and defeat Mugatu (Will Ferrell). The film is exactly what you would expect following the first “Zoolander.” It’s short, funny, ridiculous, and yet the sequel is surprisingly relevant.
The incorporation of an androgynous character named All played by Benedict Cumberbatch steps dangerously close to the edge of what is acceptable amongst the film’s own likely audience of hipster pc’rs.
Surprise appearances are actually part of what makes this sequel pretty great, yet they don’t take over and the ridiculous storyline somehow remains a coherent.
The best appearance of all, and most out of place, is that of Neil deGrasse Tyson himself. Of course, as a beautiful person, Zoolander’s journey is one of epic spiritual proportions in his own mind, so somehow a physicist fits in quite nicely.
Delivering exactly what it advertises, I give “Zoolander 2” 3.5 out of 5 stars.
For Zoolander and Hansel, the world they once knew has been taken over by today’s most annoying pop stars and what is now known as – “mainstream hipster society.”
Reminiscent of the “Austin Powers” series, Penelope Cruz leads a high speed action-spy adventure (cheesy as it may sound, it’s pretty great) as Melanie Valentina, working for Interpol “fashion division.” Cruz sets out to discover who has been killing Hollywood’s famous faces following Bieber’s tragic, and very graphic, death.
Inadvertently, due to Zoolander’s irresistible good looks, Cruz embarks on a mission to help him reunite with his estranged son and defeat Mugatu (Will Ferrell). The film is exactly what you would expect following the first “Zoolander.” It’s short, funny, ridiculous, and yet the sequel is surprisingly relevant.
The incorporation of an androgynous character named All played by Benedict Cumberbatch steps dangerously close to the edge of what is acceptable amongst the film’s own likely audience of hipster pc’rs.
Surprise appearances are actually part of what makes this sequel pretty great, yet they don’t take over and the ridiculous storyline somehow remains a coherent.
The best appearance of all, and most out of place, is that of Neil deGrasse Tyson himself. Of course, as a beautiful person, Zoolander’s journey is one of epic spiritual proportions in his own mind, so somehow a physicist fits in quite nicely.
Delivering exactly what it advertises, I give “Zoolander 2” 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
I really wanted this movie to be epic. I wanted it to be the follow up that so many waited so long to see.
However, it fell just short of that goal in my book.
Anchorman 2 picks up in 1980 where Ron Burgandy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina
Applegate) are married, have a 6-year old son, and are co-anchors for a local news station in New York.
Not long into the movie, something comes between the two, and we see Burgandy hit a new low as an
announcer at Sea World. But he is approached with an opportunity to work at the first 24-hour news
channel, and a chance to get his old team back together. Along with Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Champ
Kind (David Koechner) and Brick Tamland (Steve Carrell), Ron Burgandy takes the world by storm with
a new format, and vastly different “news” stories than what some traditionalists would call news.
As I said, there was so much potential for this movie that it just seemed to miss. It felt like they tried
to force too much of Brick’s “natural charm” that made him so popular in the first, even with the love
interest they brought in for him this go around. You top that off with recycled jokes, not just from
the first movie (which I would have been okay with), but from other movies as well. I immediately
recognized 2 from the Austin Powers franchise alone.
It’s not to say that the movie didn’t have its moments. There were quite a few times where I was caught
off guard by something I was not expecting, or where the joke fell naturally into place. But the rest of
the movie seemed forced. And one cameo in reference to MTV had me downright upset. But hey, not
everyone shares my view.
So my test? Would I pay to see this movie in theaters? No. Wait for it to come to disc/digital
download. I have a feeling it won’t be long before it gets there.
However, it fell just short of that goal in my book.
Anchorman 2 picks up in 1980 where Ron Burgandy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina
Applegate) are married, have a 6-year old son, and are co-anchors for a local news station in New York.
Not long into the movie, something comes between the two, and we see Burgandy hit a new low as an
announcer at Sea World. But he is approached with an opportunity to work at the first 24-hour news
channel, and a chance to get his old team back together. Along with Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Champ
Kind (David Koechner) and Brick Tamland (Steve Carrell), Ron Burgandy takes the world by storm with
a new format, and vastly different “news” stories than what some traditionalists would call news.
As I said, there was so much potential for this movie that it just seemed to miss. It felt like they tried
to force too much of Brick’s “natural charm” that made him so popular in the first, even with the love
interest they brought in for him this go around. You top that off with recycled jokes, not just from
the first movie (which I would have been okay with), but from other movies as well. I immediately
recognized 2 from the Austin Powers franchise alone.
It’s not to say that the movie didn’t have its moments. There were quite a few times where I was caught
off guard by something I was not expecting, or where the joke fell naturally into place. But the rest of
the movie seemed forced. And one cameo in reference to MTV had me downright upset. But hey, not
everyone shares my view.
So my test? Would I pay to see this movie in theaters? No. Wait for it to come to disc/digital
download. I have a feeling it won’t be long before it gets there.