Search

Search only in certain items:

The Fourth Kind (2009)
The Fourth Kind (2009)
2009 | Mystery
5
5.0 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Based on true events, “The Fourth Kind” is a thriller/semi-documentary covering the seemingly unexplained true events that occurred to psychologist Abigail Turner, portrayed in the film by Milla Jovovich. “The Fourth Kind” presents Abby’s story merging dramatic renditions with actual video and audio footage of the strange occurrences.

It is a creepy film filled with close up shots of spooky owls and the hauntingly foggy skies of Nome, Alaska. All this imagery creates a mystical scene but it left me wondering whether is it the films content or an extremely good knowledge of camera angles that created the lingering possibility of truth?

Furthering my dislike of the film are the unnecessary plot deviations, such as the start and conclusion by Jovovich, and the slow and disjointed family sequences which make the characters hard to relate to. Moreover, it seems as if much of the film’s content could be removed and possibly presented as a stronger case for an encounter of the fourth kind as short film or even television episode.

But the most glaring objection to the film’s premise is that it is built on a very small amount of evidence. Sure, the evidence that is presented is disturbing but the limited actual video and audio clips utilized make the film feel gimmicky. Dr. Turner’s story is intriguing but it does not support a satisfying a full-length film, especially for audiences hoping to see something that will force them to reexamine their stance on alien life forms.

In the end what you probably want to know is if this movie significantly change my views on the possibility of alien life forms or if it scared me to my core. The simple answer is no, but it did make me less enthusiastic about visiting to Nome, Alaska.
  
40x40

Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Aug 20, 2022  
Author Margie Seaman shares a lovely scrapbook page for her clean romance/women's fiction novel SOMEDAY BELONGS TO US on my blog. Check it out, and enter the giveaway for a chance to win an autographed limited edition hardback of the book - three winners!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/08/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-someday.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
It’s never too late to find love on the high seas.

Kate Caldwell is a 72-year-old romance novelist writing under the nom de plume, Desiree Desire. With more than thirty bestsellers to her credit, Kate is considered an authority on romance. Her personal life, however, has been lacking in the love department for a long time, and she has all but given up hope of finding a true, romantic connection. Her latest series, about a rakish eighteenth-century pirate, has been a struggle. Her struggle with her own creative processes boils over on a stormy night, when Captain Edward Peregrine, a pirate of the Caribbean during the year 1721, begins appearing to her as she sleeps. Convinced that Edward is a figment of her imagination, Kate happily accepts his return visits, and the two collaborate on the first two books of the series. Then, Edward suddenly stops appearing, and Kate is frustrated with her publisher’s demands for the next book.

In desperation, she decides to take a two-week cruise with her granddaughter, Ellie, hoping the chance to relax and watch the waves breaking in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean will reset her creative process. Little did Kate know that troubled waters lay ahead or that she’s in for the adventure of her life, and possibly, true love at long last.
     
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness
Erik Larson | 2004 | Crime, History & Politics, Reference
4
7.0 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not so much murder, magic, and madness
I'm a true crime junkie, aka murderino, so of course, I looked forward to reading this book. The title and description sounded great and I previously read another book, Isaac's Storm, about the 1900 Galveston hurricane, by Eric Larson, which was fascinating as he did a ton of research and brought that book to life. Though it's been 8 years since I've read Isaac's storm, I remember the stories he told as he narrative made you feel you were there. I expected the same with this book, but alas, that was not the case. Instead, I got pages upon pages of details about rivets and the meetings between city councilmen and architects and city permits needed to build everything. OMG, seriously? Why? There are a few stories in the book that are interesting such as the creation of the first Ferris wheel, some of the exhibits and entertainers and drama of the World's Fair. There is a little information about H.H. Holmes, his murder castle, and crimes but not as much detail as any true crime buff has already read someplace else. And what there is about Holmes is a dry recitation of facts, nothing intriguing at all. I was extremely disappointed in his coverage of the events in this book. The title made it sound exciting but it was mostly just drudgery.