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Mrs. Claus and the Halloween Homicide
10.0
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Mrs. Claus is the gift that keeps giving in the second installment of Liz Ireland’s newest cozy...
InfernalNinja (49 KP) rated Santa Claus (aka Santa vs. the Devil) (1959) in Movies
Dec 5, 2021
Holiday Hijinx! (2 more)
Still a heartwarming ending
Super amusing take on characters
Terribly Dubbed (2 more)
Super cheesy
Not exactly politically correct. Lots of stuff would not go over well in this day and age
The epitomy of "so bad, it's great!"
One of my local independent theaters advertised this and I knew instantaneously: This movie was going to be so terrible, I would love it. It did not disappoint. A great trip back in time to before movies fit neatly into one of two categories: A) takes itself too seriously, or B) Superhero movie. This Santa still knows if you've been naughty or nice, but it's only because he eavesdrops on your conversations and watches your dreams. He lives in a castle in the sky, and can only visit Earth on Dec. 24th of every year. When he does, hilarity ensues as he constantly foils the Devil's plans to put each and every kid on the naughty list. If you're a fan of terrible B movies that just let go and keep you laughing, definitely check this out. Definitely some shallow stereotypes played up for laughs. Not for the easily offended.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Oct 29, 2021
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Christmas Past in Books
Dec 15, 2022 (Updated Dec 15, 2022)
A Look at Christmas Traditions Past and Present
Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Christmas the way we do? If so, this book is for you. It takes a look at four categories: food, entertainment, sights and sounds, and society. Each category gets several chapters that focus on specific things like mince pies or candy canes, Rudolph, lights, and Christmas cards. We get a look at the origins, the rise, and sometimes the fall, of these old traditions.
This book is purely looking at the secular, pop culture celebration of Christmas, although the religious aspect does pop up occasionally, most noticeably in the chapter on “Silent Night.” A couple of chapters seem a bit vague, and the writing can be dry at times, but those are minor complaints. On the whole, this was a fascinating look at where our traditions came from, both those we still use today and those that have faded over time. I am not familiar with the author’s pod cast, but my understanding is much of this material first appeared there. As a Christmas lover, I enjoyed learning more about the holiday. If that’s you, you’ll enjoy this book as well.
This book is purely looking at the secular, pop culture celebration of Christmas, although the religious aspect does pop up occasionally, most noticeably in the chapter on “Silent Night.” A couple of chapters seem a bit vague, and the writing can be dry at times, but those are minor complaints. On the whole, this was a fascinating look at where our traditions came from, both those we still use today and those that have faded over time. I am not familiar with the author’s pod cast, but my understanding is much of this material first appeared there. As a Christmas lover, I enjoyed learning more about the holiday. If that’s you, you’ll enjoy this book as well.
Sugar Plum Poisoned
8.0
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It’s Christmastime, and this holiday season, things are heating up for the bakers at Fairy Tale...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Island in Books
May 15, 2022
The choices you make have consequences ... some of them deadly!
Whilst on a working holiday in Australia, the Baxters decide to do some sightseeing and find their way onto the isolated and private Dutch Island. They are hoping to see and photograph some of the native wildlife but end up being involved in a tragic accident which brings them to the attention of the O'Neil clan who call the island their home and they are not happy!!!
The Baxters quickly get into a fight for their lives and so begins the non-stop action that is The Island. There is lots of tension, violence and scenes of peril with a few twists but, overall, it's the story of survival ... but who will make it off The Island?
This book has a vibe akin to the film The Deliverance with a bit of Rambo thrown in for good measure so if you like that sort of action, I would definitely recommend this ... you won't be disappointed.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Island and share my thoughts.
Whilst on a working holiday in Australia, the Baxters decide to do some sightseeing and find their way onto the isolated and private Dutch Island. They are hoping to see and photograph some of the native wildlife but end up being involved in a tragic accident which brings them to the attention of the O'Neil clan who call the island their home and they are not happy!!!
The Baxters quickly get into a fight for their lives and so begins the non-stop action that is The Island. There is lots of tension, violence and scenes of peril with a few twists but, overall, it's the story of survival ... but who will make it off The Island?
This book has a vibe akin to the film The Deliverance with a bit of Rambo thrown in for good measure so if you like that sort of action, I would definitely recommend this ... you won't be disappointed.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Island and share my thoughts.
Passport to Spy
10.0
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After losing her job as an investigative reporter for The Phoenix Gazette, Kat Lawson has a new gig....
ClareR (5674 KP) rated Sun Damage in Books
Jul 4, 2023
Sun Damage is a slow burn of a book, dripping in paranoia!
Ali and Sean are confidence tricksters: they get people to trust them, and then extract large amounts of money from them. Except something goes wrong when they try to con Lulu, and Ali goes on the run - with a large sum of money from Sean’s safe. Ali thinks she has found the perfect hiding place in a gîte in the South of France, but it seems inevitable that her past will catch up with her.
This is all set in the summer, when the heat is as oppressive as Ali’s paranoia. The whole novel feels claustrophobic - will Ali be found out? Will Sean find her? What will her employers do?
We see Ali’s past and childhood in some detail, and I found myself forgiving her for her terrible behaviour - although I doubt I would have been so forgiving if I was the one being swindled!
This is probably the ideal summer holiday read - great for by the pool, somewhere hot. Although you’ll be a lot more suspicious of anyone you don’t know trying to strike up a conversation!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another great serialisation.
Ali and Sean are confidence tricksters: they get people to trust them, and then extract large amounts of money from them. Except something goes wrong when they try to con Lulu, and Ali goes on the run - with a large sum of money from Sean’s safe. Ali thinks she has found the perfect hiding place in a gîte in the South of France, but it seems inevitable that her past will catch up with her.
This is all set in the summer, when the heat is as oppressive as Ali’s paranoia. The whole novel feels claustrophobic - will Ali be found out? Will Sean find her? What will her employers do?
We see Ali’s past and childhood in some detail, and I found myself forgiving her for her terrible behaviour - although I doubt I would have been so forgiving if I was the one being swindled!
This is probably the ideal summer holiday read - great for by the pool, somewhere hot. Although you’ll be a lot more suspicious of anyone you don’t know trying to strike up a conversation!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another great serialisation.
Dearly Deleted
10.0
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For the first time since moving to Copper Bay, Massachusetts, book blogger Winnie Lark is planning...
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Welcome Home (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
The holiday from hell
We’ve all had holidays that didn’t go according to plan, but George Ratliff’s new thriller takes this idea to a whole new level. Welcome Home follows couple Cassie and Bryan as they travel to Italy together. They’ve rented a secluded, spacious home for a few days, so they can spend some quality time together. So far, so simple. However, it’s soon revealed that they’ve been having relationship problems due to Cassie having a drunken one night stand. It’s clear that this isn’t going to be an easy trip for them, and that’s before we meet the real threat.
Aaron Paul and Emily Ratajkowski are great in the lead roles. They feel like your everyday, plausible couple who are simply trying to repair their relationship. I found myself rooting for them and hoping they could reconnect throughout. Despite the slow pacing in places, I did genuinely care about them as characters. Without the strength of their acting, I think this film might have struggled in places as some of it seemed to drag or could’ve easily been cut out. Welcome Home does have similarities to the 2008 film The Strangers, in which see a strained relationship set within a secluded summer home, with the couple being terrorised by masked murderers.
This film’s antagonist, Frederico, is less ambiguous than that, and instead spends time with the couple and tries to befriend them in order to gain their trust. Cassie is a lot more receptive to this than Bryan, who is distrustful of Frederico after he brought Cassie back to the house when she sprained her ankle whilst running. He believes something else is going on, based on the one night stand. At first they believe he’s a neighbour, so nothing really seems out of the ordinary. Then, it starts to get weird. He says some strange things and starts showing up uninvited, even running into them on the street and deciding to turn up to the house to cook dinner.
Every second that Frederico’s on the screen is an uncomfortable one, and you know he’s not the innocent person he’s pretending to be. It’s only a matter of time before his true intentions are revealed to the couple, putting them both in danger. Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio really blew me away in this film and I’m excited to see more from him.
Although it takes a while to get going, the second and third act of Welcome Home is a tense and unnerving experience. Frederico goes from friendly, helpful neighbour to a creepy psychopath very quickly, and it turns out he has very dark intentions for the couple. He spends the film manipulating them and turning them against each other. I won’t spoil it for you, but it turns this couple’s holiday into a complete nightmare. I did quite like the big reveal at the end, though it seems a little far-fetched it’s not beyond the realms of possibility given the digital age that we live in. This fact is emphasised by the voyeuristic nature of the camera, how we’re always peeking around doors or watching things we shouldn’t be.
I have seen stronger thrillers with better pacing, but Welcome Home is certainly an entertaining watch if you’re looking for a new, exciting story with a strong cast list. It puts a fun twist on your classic home invasion horror, with a charming, magnetic antagonist to really lure you in. I’d recommend giving it a go if you get the opportunity, as it’s worth it for the characters and the ending.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/11/13/the-holiday-from-hell-a-review-of-welcome-home/
Aaron Paul and Emily Ratajkowski are great in the lead roles. They feel like your everyday, plausible couple who are simply trying to repair their relationship. I found myself rooting for them and hoping they could reconnect throughout. Despite the slow pacing in places, I did genuinely care about them as characters. Without the strength of their acting, I think this film might have struggled in places as some of it seemed to drag or could’ve easily been cut out. Welcome Home does have similarities to the 2008 film The Strangers, in which see a strained relationship set within a secluded summer home, with the couple being terrorised by masked murderers.
This film’s antagonist, Frederico, is less ambiguous than that, and instead spends time with the couple and tries to befriend them in order to gain their trust. Cassie is a lot more receptive to this than Bryan, who is distrustful of Frederico after he brought Cassie back to the house when she sprained her ankle whilst running. He believes something else is going on, based on the one night stand. At first they believe he’s a neighbour, so nothing really seems out of the ordinary. Then, it starts to get weird. He says some strange things and starts showing up uninvited, even running into them on the street and deciding to turn up to the house to cook dinner.
Every second that Frederico’s on the screen is an uncomfortable one, and you know he’s not the innocent person he’s pretending to be. It’s only a matter of time before his true intentions are revealed to the couple, putting them both in danger. Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio really blew me away in this film and I’m excited to see more from him.
Although it takes a while to get going, the second and third act of Welcome Home is a tense and unnerving experience. Frederico goes from friendly, helpful neighbour to a creepy psychopath very quickly, and it turns out he has very dark intentions for the couple. He spends the film manipulating them and turning them against each other. I won’t spoil it for you, but it turns this couple’s holiday into a complete nightmare. I did quite like the big reveal at the end, though it seems a little far-fetched it’s not beyond the realms of possibility given the digital age that we live in. This fact is emphasised by the voyeuristic nature of the camera, how we’re always peeking around doors or watching things we shouldn’t be.
I have seen stronger thrillers with better pacing, but Welcome Home is certainly an entertaining watch if you’re looking for a new, exciting story with a strong cast list. It puts a fun twist on your classic home invasion horror, with a charming, magnetic antagonist to really lure you in. I’d recommend giving it a go if you get the opportunity, as it’s worth it for the characters and the ending.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/11/13/the-holiday-from-hell-a-review-of-welcome-home/