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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) in Movies

Aug 21, 2019

Too scary for kids - not scary enough for teenagers

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK is a good "starter" horror film. A step up from fair like Goosebumps but not quite to the level (in intensity, gore and violence) of a "real" Horror film like HEREDITY, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY or the SAW franchise - and that just might be it's downfall for it is stuck in a very narrow band of viewers who will enjoy this (too intense for younger kids, to "kidd-ish" for teenagers and above).

And that's too bad, for SCARY STORIES is a pretty well put together film. Telling...well...a series of scary stories that come true (to the detriment of the teens that these stories are written about).

Based on the YA series of novels of the same name, Director Andre Overdal stitches together (in some instances quite literally) a creepy (enough) tale of teens in danger by things that go bump into the night. There are good (enough) scares, some real (enough) spine-tingling chills and just (enough) death and destruction to keep things interesting.

And that's good for the cast is pretty bland. Zoe Margaret Coletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush and Austin Zajur are "fine" (but interchangeable) as the 4 teens caught in the crossfire of these stories. Their performances/characters are almost good enough to sustain things, but, ultimately, brought nothing new or interesting to their roles. Neither do Lorraine Toussaint, Gil Bellows and Dean Norris, 3 usually dependable actors that just sort of drift in and out of this film with not much to do.

But that doesn't really matter for the special effects, scares and story threads are what you are there to see and the special effects are good (enough), the scares are scary (enough) and the story is just interesting (enough) to let you have a decent (enough) time at the theater.

Letter Grade: B-

6 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)

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Lindsay (1779 KP) rated Otherworld Nights (Otherworld Stories, #3) in Books

Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)

This is a book about all kinds of supernaturals. Though you get to read about the American Pack. It falls more on Clay and Elena then the others. Though you get a piece each part of the stories. You get to learn a bit about Adam and though not all of it. You get parts of all eight stories list or at least part of it.

Though most of the book talks more on Elena and Clay and his family and adventures. You read all about what Adam mother find out about her son. You get to read about Clay an Elena Honeymoon story and Hidden/ Twilight though I do not know how that fits in much. Chivalrous you learn about Reese's back story. Lucifer Daughter comes in but not much is about either of them. From Russia with Love is a sweet story about Elena. Vanishing Act is the newest story about Savannah and Adam when he is older.

I know it a collection of stories not all them in a lot of detail. I was a little confused going from one story to the next I understood Elena and Clay story better and Savannah and Adam. That is all I understoood. The ohers I would not understand how it went from Adam being four years old to him being an adult. Why most of the stories where about Elena and Clay and American Pack when it started out with Demons and ending with Demons or half demons.