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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Sick House in Books
Jun 8, 2018 (Updated Jan 18, 2019)
Last month, the #spookyfriendsbookclub voted on Jeff Strand’s Sick House as our selection and though I’m a month behind on reading it, I am so glad I did. This book is amazing–or rather, it is if you’re a fan of snarky, gory horror.
The Gardner family moves into a house that turns out to be haunted. Readers find out what happened there fairly early, which is unusual in most haunted house tales that I’ve read. Despite that, Strand manages to keep me hooked with his fast-paced, delightfully dark prose. The family of four, comprised of husband, wife, and two daughters, show readers just how strong the bond between family members can be while simultaneously exploring the darker regions of the teenage mind–as seen with the older of the two girls. This provides a nice depth to the family, which thankfully isn’t comprised of a bunch of Mary Sues (though the wife is debatable).
Fast-paced, gory, and definitely not for the squeamish, Sick House progresses quickly with non-stop action. The terror begins from the first few pages and lasts throughout the entire novel, which elevates it above the many I’ve read where the first eighty percent is a snooze fest with all the excitement at the end. I definitely recommend this book to horror fans and will be reading more of Strand’s work. I have Dweller sitting on my shelf!
The Gardner family moves into a house that turns out to be haunted. Readers find out what happened there fairly early, which is unusual in most haunted house tales that I’ve read. Despite that, Strand manages to keep me hooked with his fast-paced, delightfully dark prose. The family of four, comprised of husband, wife, and two daughters, show readers just how strong the bond between family members can be while simultaneously exploring the darker regions of the teenage mind–as seen with the older of the two girls. This provides a nice depth to the family, which thankfully isn’t comprised of a bunch of Mary Sues (though the wife is debatable).
Fast-paced, gory, and definitely not for the squeamish, Sick House progresses quickly with non-stop action. The terror begins from the first few pages and lasts throughout the entire novel, which elevates it above the many I’ve read where the first eighty percent is a snooze fest with all the excitement at the end. I definitely recommend this book to horror fans and will be reading more of Strand’s work. I have Dweller sitting on my shelf!
The Digital Negative: Raw Image Processing in Lightroom, Camera Raw, and Photoshop
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Shooting in the raw format gives digital photographers complete control over every aspect of image...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Uncle Peckerhead (2020) in Movies
Oct 11, 2020
Uncle Peckerhead is a silly name for a silly movie, but dammit, it's a movie that knows how to have a good time.
There's really not too much to grumble about with this punk rock splatter flick. For starters, it has a mostly likable cast, the highlight being David Littleton as the titular Peckerhead (Peck for short). Even though he's a flesh eating demon, he still comes across as a good dude who just wants to look after this young punk band he's taken on as travel companions. The interactions between him and Max (Jeff Riddle) are pretty hilarious. In fact, the film got a few good laughs out of me during it's runtime.
As a musician, I also appreciated the fairly accurate portrayal of what it's like playing live music at ground level. Audience's who don't care, sparsely populated venues, and the occasional promoter who turns out to be a douche (not my place to say if they deserve to get eaten or not...)
The gore in this film hits hard as well. It's fairly infrequent, but when it does come, it's pretty absurd and all achieved using some decent practical work.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack for the most part, and have been introduced to a great punk band called School Drugs through this film as well - another positive!
Uncle Peckerhead is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, it's entertaining, gory, funny, and just a complete blast. Seek it out!
There's really not too much to grumble about with this punk rock splatter flick. For starters, it has a mostly likable cast, the highlight being David Littleton as the titular Peckerhead (Peck for short). Even though he's a flesh eating demon, he still comes across as a good dude who just wants to look after this young punk band he's taken on as travel companions. The interactions between him and Max (Jeff Riddle) are pretty hilarious. In fact, the film got a few good laughs out of me during it's runtime.
As a musician, I also appreciated the fairly accurate portrayal of what it's like playing live music at ground level. Audience's who don't care, sparsely populated venues, and the occasional promoter who turns out to be a douche (not my place to say if they deserve to get eaten or not...)
The gore in this film hits hard as well. It's fairly infrequent, but when it does come, it's pretty absurd and all achieved using some decent practical work.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack for the most part, and have been introduced to a great punk band called School Drugs through this film as well - another positive!
Uncle Peckerhead is a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, it's entertaining, gory, funny, and just a complete blast. Seek it out!
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) in Movies
Apr 5, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised but just how damn delightful the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie was, and with this sequel, Jeff Fowler has wisely stuck with the formula, added more to it, and the results are just as enjoyable.
Jim Carrey once again steals the show, as a more unhinged Robotnik, closer to his game counterpart than he was the first time around. When coupled with the inclusion of fan favourite characters Tails and Knuckles, alongside series mainstays like the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic 2 runs headfirst into its source material whilst still feeling at home in the real world. It's a good balance.
A lot of the comedy fell flat for me however. A lot of jokes didn't land properly, but it's important to remember that this is a movie geared towards kids, and as such, it's not a huge issue. There's also a kind of discount Meet the Parents side plot that feels wholly unnecessary and drags the mid point, but this is completely made up for by one of the most entertaining final acts in recent blockbuster memory. The final showdown is an unencumbered blast. As someone who grew up playing the Sonic games, it's a joy to behold and is a testament to how fucking fun video game adaptions can be when handled well.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is just a damn good time, and I say that confidently as a grown ass man. Make the trip to the cinema and treat yo self.
Jim Carrey once again steals the show, as a more unhinged Robotnik, closer to his game counterpart than he was the first time around. When coupled with the inclusion of fan favourite characters Tails and Knuckles, alongside series mainstays like the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic 2 runs headfirst into its source material whilst still feeling at home in the real world. It's a good balance.
A lot of the comedy fell flat for me however. A lot of jokes didn't land properly, but it's important to remember that this is a movie geared towards kids, and as such, it's not a huge issue. There's also a kind of discount Meet the Parents side plot that feels wholly unnecessary and drags the mid point, but this is completely made up for by one of the most entertaining final acts in recent blockbuster memory. The final showdown is an unencumbered blast. As someone who grew up playing the Sonic games, it's a joy to behold and is a testament to how fucking fun video game adaptions can be when handled well.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is just a damn good time, and I say that confidently as a grown ass man. Make the trip to the cinema and treat yo self.
No Way but This: In Search of Paul Robeson
Book
Film star. Icon. Agitator. Martyr. Paul Robeson was a brilliant student and champion athlete who...
Timepassages Pro
Lifestyle and Education
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Gorgeous color charts with insightful interpretations make TimePassages Pro the most advanced...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Final Girls in Books
Aug 20, 2018
Forgettable Book (1 more)
Overdone Plot
Just Okay
Final Girls by Riley Sager came highly recommended to. I was looking for a good horror book to read. While Final Girls wasn't a great read, it wasn't bad. Final Girls was just an okay read and nothing more.
The pacing is okay in Final Girls. It's not fast paced, but it's not slow either. I didn't hurry to finish this book at all. Every now and then the pacing would get better, but most times it was just okay.
The plot was alright. It's like every other slasher survival type books. Final Girls did have a few plot twists. Most were pretty predictable such as the one with Sam. I just felt like I had read and seen this plot line so many times before. Nothing really stood out with the plot of Final Girls.
The world building was done well. It was easy for me to be transported to the world of Final Girls. Even the attacks on the girls seemed realistic.
I liked the characters enough and felt that they were fairly well written. I did feel that Quincy was a little too gullible and trusting. There were times I had to shake my head at her. For example, I felt like she was too trusting of Samantha. It's like she just took her at her word all the time. Saying all that, I did love Quincy though. She did have a fighting spirit about her, and I loved her determination. Sam annoyed me. She was written well, but she annoyed me with how she said "babe" almost all the time. She was always so shady, and I never trusted her. Even though Jeff and Coop weren't major characters, I still liked them a lot. They just seemed like really nice guys.
There are some themes in this book such as violence, smoking, prescription drug abuse, alcohol, sex, and swearing. Nothing is too over the top, and it fits in with the book perfectly.
All in all, I feel as if Final Girls by Riley Sager is a forgettable book. Nothing really stands out plot wise or character wise. It's just an okay read, but it's been done before.
The pacing is okay in Final Girls. It's not fast paced, but it's not slow either. I didn't hurry to finish this book at all. Every now and then the pacing would get better, but most times it was just okay.
The plot was alright. It's like every other slasher survival type books. Final Girls did have a few plot twists. Most were pretty predictable such as the one with Sam. I just felt like I had read and seen this plot line so many times before. Nothing really stood out with the plot of Final Girls.
The world building was done well. It was easy for me to be transported to the world of Final Girls. Even the attacks on the girls seemed realistic.
I liked the characters enough and felt that they were fairly well written. I did feel that Quincy was a little too gullible and trusting. There were times I had to shake my head at her. For example, I felt like she was too trusting of Samantha. It's like she just took her at her word all the time. Saying all that, I did love Quincy though. She did have a fighting spirit about her, and I loved her determination. Sam annoyed me. She was written well, but she annoyed me with how she said "babe" almost all the time. She was always so shady, and I never trusted her. Even though Jeff and Coop weren't major characters, I still liked them a lot. They just seemed like really nice guys.
There are some themes in this book such as violence, smoking, prescription drug abuse, alcohol, sex, and swearing. Nothing is too over the top, and it fits in with the book perfectly.
All in all, I feel as if Final Girls by Riley Sager is a forgettable book. Nothing really stands out plot wise or character wise. It's just an okay read, but it's been done before.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Good sci-fi, but a poor sequel
Independence Day: Resurgence has a lot in common with last year’s Jurassic World. They both are long-awaited sequels to fan-favourite blockbusters, bringing a new generation the same thrills and spills of their forbearers.
Unfortunately, it just so happens that they share the same pitfalls too. But is Independence Day: Resurgence a match for its 1996 predecessor? Or does it crash and burn?
Roland Emmerich returns to the director’s chair, bringing the same breadth of destruction he’s brought to all of his films. The Day After Tomorrow, 2012 and White House Down all prove he’s the master of the apocalypse and Resurgence is no exception.
As the Fourth of July nears, satellite engineer David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) investigates a 3,000-mile-wide mother ship that’s approaching Earth. Fortunately, 20 years earlier, nations across the world started to use recovered extra-terrestrial technology to develop an immense defence program. When the alien invaders attack with unprecedented force, the U.S. president, teams of scientists and brave fighter pilots spring into action to save the planet from a seemingly invincible enemy.
Emmerich throws everything he can at the screen in a film just shy of two hours. The pace rarely lets up and it’s a rollercoaster ride to watch. Dozens of global landmarks are destroyed as our characters race to stop the new alien invasion.
Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games), Sela Ward (Gone Girl) and Jessie Usher make up the majority of the new cast with Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch providing a warm sense of nostalgia from the first film. There’s no return for Will Smith, with Jessie Usher playing his step-son and his character is conveniently written out.
Unfortunately, despite the talents of the new cast, the script doesn’t really give them anything to sink their teeth into and the overabundance of, admittedly breath-taking CGI, means there’s nothing there for them to react to – and it shows. Nevertheless, it’s nice to see Jeff Goldblum front and centre after nearly a decade of small film roles.
It’s just a shame that the script is wholly unoriginal. We saw most of it done in 1996, and frankly done better. Since then, there have been countless generic sci-fi flicks that have pushed the same simple premise on their audience and Resurgence suffers due to its timing more than anything else.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s all good fun IF you’re a fan of the genre, and there are some nice references to the first film. The aliens themselves look fantastic and the cinematography is generally very impressive, especially during the aerial bound action sequences.
However, things unravel at the finale. With what is undoubtedly one of the most stupid endings ever put to film, it’s hard not to laugh in amazement as you ponder just what was said around the production table to end up with a final act as ill-advised as this.
Overall, Independence Day: Resurgence has a lot going for it. A likeable new and returning cast is bolstered by brilliant, if overused, CGI and a frantic pace. Unfortunately, it’s a victim of its timing and as such is a decent sci-fi flick, but a poor sequel to its fantastic predecessor.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/06/24/good-sci-fi-but-a-poor-sequel-independence-day-resurgence-review/
Unfortunately, it just so happens that they share the same pitfalls too. But is Independence Day: Resurgence a match for its 1996 predecessor? Or does it crash and burn?
Roland Emmerich returns to the director’s chair, bringing the same breadth of destruction he’s brought to all of his films. The Day After Tomorrow, 2012 and White House Down all prove he’s the master of the apocalypse and Resurgence is no exception.
As the Fourth of July nears, satellite engineer David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) investigates a 3,000-mile-wide mother ship that’s approaching Earth. Fortunately, 20 years earlier, nations across the world started to use recovered extra-terrestrial technology to develop an immense defence program. When the alien invaders attack with unprecedented force, the U.S. president, teams of scientists and brave fighter pilots spring into action to save the planet from a seemingly invincible enemy.
Emmerich throws everything he can at the screen in a film just shy of two hours. The pace rarely lets up and it’s a rollercoaster ride to watch. Dozens of global landmarks are destroyed as our characters race to stop the new alien invasion.
Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games), Sela Ward (Gone Girl) and Jessie Usher make up the majority of the new cast with Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch providing a warm sense of nostalgia from the first film. There’s no return for Will Smith, with Jessie Usher playing his step-son and his character is conveniently written out.
Unfortunately, despite the talents of the new cast, the script doesn’t really give them anything to sink their teeth into and the overabundance of, admittedly breath-taking CGI, means there’s nothing there for them to react to – and it shows. Nevertheless, it’s nice to see Jeff Goldblum front and centre after nearly a decade of small film roles.
It’s just a shame that the script is wholly unoriginal. We saw most of it done in 1996, and frankly done better. Since then, there have been countless generic sci-fi flicks that have pushed the same simple premise on their audience and Resurgence suffers due to its timing more than anything else.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s all good fun IF you’re a fan of the genre, and there are some nice references to the first film. The aliens themselves look fantastic and the cinematography is generally very impressive, especially during the aerial bound action sequences.
However, things unravel at the finale. With what is undoubtedly one of the most stupid endings ever put to film, it’s hard not to laugh in amazement as you ponder just what was said around the production table to end up with a final act as ill-advised as this.
Overall, Independence Day: Resurgence has a lot going for it. A likeable new and returning cast is bolstered by brilliant, if overused, CGI and a frantic pace. Unfortunately, it’s a victim of its timing and as such is a decent sci-fi flick, but a poor sequel to its fantastic predecessor.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/06/24/good-sci-fi-but-a-poor-sequel-independence-day-resurgence-review/
Photography: History and Theory
Book
Photography: History and Theory introduces students to both the history of photography and critical...