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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated I Am Lisa (2020) in Movies
Oct 4, 2020
This caught my eye on the Fright Fest line-up for its intriguing idea, who doesn't love werewolves?
Lisa returns to her small town home where she's terrorised by local tough girl Jess and her friends. When Lisa tries to report the incident to the sheriff, Jess' mother, her report is dismissed, standing strong she persists and they decide on a different course of action. After brutally beating her they leave her body in the woods for the wolves, little fo they know that Lisa was rescued from the attack and has come away with a supernatural gift and a desire for retribution.
There's a female heavy cast in I Am Lisa and it works really well, the dynamics for the most part are really impressive. From friendship to family, love and hatred, you get to see some real talent on display. The outstanding performance for me was Carmen Anello as Jessica, every change of emotion was clear and expressive, very early on it was obvious just how talented she was.
I Am Lisa manages to convey a small town gone wrong vibe and shows the consequences of a family run dynamic, if that family happens to be corrupt. The town rundown, the dismissive manner, the muted colours, all create just the right atmosphere for the film.
The story itself was a great concept, it introduced the main theme with subtlety and leaves some intrigue to keep you going. The only real problem with it is that the link between the man in the woods and the Huckins family is a little on the vague side and could have done with being a little clearer.
It's always interesting to see how films handle transformations, and I Am Lisa is quite subtle about it. The main transformations blend well when used, it's definitely a good take on the werewolf principle until... the end... all I could think of was Buffy, and that undid some of the good thoughts.
My last comment would probably have to be about some of the violence, on more than one occasion characters slap each other and you can tell they hold back. If you're not going to go 100% then you need to cut the footage so that you can't tell.
Apart from the few little blips, this is a solid film and an enjoyable watch, I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/10/i-am-lisa-movie-review.html
Lisa returns to her small town home where she's terrorised by local tough girl Jess and her friends. When Lisa tries to report the incident to the sheriff, Jess' mother, her report is dismissed, standing strong she persists and they decide on a different course of action. After brutally beating her they leave her body in the woods for the wolves, little fo they know that Lisa was rescued from the attack and has come away with a supernatural gift and a desire for retribution.
There's a female heavy cast in I Am Lisa and it works really well, the dynamics for the most part are really impressive. From friendship to family, love and hatred, you get to see some real talent on display. The outstanding performance for me was Carmen Anello as Jessica, every change of emotion was clear and expressive, very early on it was obvious just how talented she was.
I Am Lisa manages to convey a small town gone wrong vibe and shows the consequences of a family run dynamic, if that family happens to be corrupt. The town rundown, the dismissive manner, the muted colours, all create just the right atmosphere for the film.
The story itself was a great concept, it introduced the main theme with subtlety and leaves some intrigue to keep you going. The only real problem with it is that the link between the man in the woods and the Huckins family is a little on the vague side and could have done with being a little clearer.
It's always interesting to see how films handle transformations, and I Am Lisa is quite subtle about it. The main transformations blend well when used, it's definitely a good take on the werewolf principle until... the end... all I could think of was Buffy, and that undid some of the good thoughts.
My last comment would probably have to be about some of the violence, on more than one occasion characters slap each other and you can tell they hold back. If you're not going to go 100% then you need to cut the footage so that you can't tell.
Apart from the few little blips, this is a solid film and an enjoyable watch, I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/10/i-am-lisa-movie-review.html
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Wolf Blood in Books
Jan 31, 2019
Wolf Blood is a fresh, new take on the apocalypse–free of zombies and nuclear fallout. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air in a market that’s already overly saturated with the same tropes, and for that Steve Morris deserves props. That’s not to say that there aren’t issues with Wolf Blood. There are several, actually. It does, however, mean that this is a title worth taking the time to read if you’re sick of the same washed up material.
Professor Wiseman and his three students, Samuel, Leann, and Adam, have tucked themselves away in the Carpathians after a poorly received publication foretelling of a werewolf apocalypse is met with widespread mockery and criticism. His reputation ruined, the Professor and his students continue their research in quiet solitude–until things go wrong. All three students become infected, soon returning to London to bring back the superiority of wolves.
Let’s be honest, this idea is pretty interesting and in execution, Morris does a pretty decent job. I didn’t find any outwardly obvious plot holes, and that’s a plus too. The book is fast-paced, making for an easy and quick read. It isn’t bogged down with too much exposition, either. In fact, it might not have enough in some cases. Fortunately, it doesn’t detract too much from what’s going on.
Also, characters. There are too many characters whose purpose isn’t revealed in this book. Granted it’s the first of a series and they probably have a reason to exist later on down the road, but ultimately I feel it would have been better if those characters were introduced later. Instead we end up with a handful of people we don’t care about, and not enough time to develop feelings for those we do meet.
Morris’s werewolves are an important topic of discussion too. They are somewhere in-between the romanticized version and the truly monstrous. As a fan of gore and horror, I was hoping for purely the latter–especially since it is an apocalypse book. While there is some sappiness to this crew of mangy mutts, much of their desires lean toward the more primal nature of a wolf.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; I devoured it in just over twenty-four hours and, considering all that’s going on in my life, that’s a good thing. Rating wise, I’m stuck between three and four. Considering how much fun I had reading it, I’ve decided to lean toward the higher rating. This is definitely a fun book.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Professor Wiseman and his three students, Samuel, Leann, and Adam, have tucked themselves away in the Carpathians after a poorly received publication foretelling of a werewolf apocalypse is met with widespread mockery and criticism. His reputation ruined, the Professor and his students continue their research in quiet solitude–until things go wrong. All three students become infected, soon returning to London to bring back the superiority of wolves.
Let’s be honest, this idea is pretty interesting and in execution, Morris does a pretty decent job. I didn’t find any outwardly obvious plot holes, and that’s a plus too. The book is fast-paced, making for an easy and quick read. It isn’t bogged down with too much exposition, either. In fact, it might not have enough in some cases. Fortunately, it doesn’t detract too much from what’s going on.
Also, characters. There are too many characters whose purpose isn’t revealed in this book. Granted it’s the first of a series and they probably have a reason to exist later on down the road, but ultimately I feel it would have been better if those characters were introduced later. Instead we end up with a handful of people we don’t care about, and not enough time to develop feelings for those we do meet.
Morris’s werewolves are an important topic of discussion too. They are somewhere in-between the romanticized version and the truly monstrous. As a fan of gore and horror, I was hoping for purely the latter–especially since it is an apocalypse book. While there is some sappiness to this crew of mangy mutts, much of their desires lean toward the more primal nature of a wolf.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; I devoured it in just over twenty-four hours and, considering all that’s going on in my life, that’s a good thing. Rating wise, I’m stuck between three and four. Considering how much fun I had reading it, I’ve decided to lean toward the higher rating. This is definitely a fun book.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Debbiereadsbook (1441 KP) rated Thicker Than Water in Books
Mar 18, 2020
I needed Thatch!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Callen finds Thatch, the leader of a black ops task force, bleeding and bitten when he goes against orders, again. But Thatch was bitten by Callen's sister, and his niece is now missing and Thatch might be the only link to finding the child. But as the investigation spreads its net, Callen is forced to make some decisions, decisions that could cost him his heart.
I really REALLY enjoyed this from Ms Seymour! She usually writes fairly fluffy, contemporaries and this isn't fluffy, nor contemporary but it is great!
I loved the twist to werewolf lore, that the oly way for a wolf to be made is to be bitten. But that act kills the wolf and transfers all their memories to the new wolf.
I loved the supporting cast, and all the little . .hints/clues/dropped comments . . .about them. Some questions wre thrown up, that haven't been answered here. However, in my personal experience, its best not to wait for those questions to be answered cos the last time I felt like this, I had a right proper hissy fit when those questions were NOT answered LOL So I won't voice those questions, and then I can't be dissappointed, right?
I loved Callen. He is funny and hilarious, and dark and deadly. He is deep and meaningful, but takes great pleasure in winding his friends up.
I loved that fact tht the bond between Callen and Thatch creep up on them, and there isn't that MINE moment at first meeting. It DOES come, but it's more growled out of Callen in reaction to someone else touching Thatch.
So why only 4 stars with all those things I loved?
Thatch isn't given a voice.
Now, I know I say it a lot, and I will continue to say it where I think it necessary but HERE I think it really needed. Thatch takes ALL of his Hazel's, Callen's sister, memories and thoughts and feelings. ALL of them. And that had to be confusing when they start to come through! When those memories sends them far north to find Hazel's daughter. When he comes face to face with that daughter. What was Thatch feeling? I needed that, I really did, and if I HAD Thatch, I have no doubt, not a single one, that this would have been a 5 star read.
I don't know if this is a stand alone, or there will be more of this group of people, I hope so, I really do!
But I don't get Thatch, and so. . .
4 good, great solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Callen finds Thatch, the leader of a black ops task force, bleeding and bitten when he goes against orders, again. But Thatch was bitten by Callen's sister, and his niece is now missing and Thatch might be the only link to finding the child. But as the investigation spreads its net, Callen is forced to make some decisions, decisions that could cost him his heart.
I really REALLY enjoyed this from Ms Seymour! She usually writes fairly fluffy, contemporaries and this isn't fluffy, nor contemporary but it is great!
I loved the twist to werewolf lore, that the oly way for a wolf to be made is to be bitten. But that act kills the wolf and transfers all their memories to the new wolf.
I loved the supporting cast, and all the little . .hints/clues/dropped comments . . .about them. Some questions wre thrown up, that haven't been answered here. However, in my personal experience, its best not to wait for those questions to be answered cos the last time I felt like this, I had a right proper hissy fit when those questions were NOT answered LOL So I won't voice those questions, and then I can't be dissappointed, right?
I loved Callen. He is funny and hilarious, and dark and deadly. He is deep and meaningful, but takes great pleasure in winding his friends up.
I loved that fact tht the bond between Callen and Thatch creep up on them, and there isn't that MINE moment at first meeting. It DOES come, but it's more growled out of Callen in reaction to someone else touching Thatch.
So why only 4 stars with all those things I loved?
Thatch isn't given a voice.
Now, I know I say it a lot, and I will continue to say it where I think it necessary but HERE I think it really needed. Thatch takes ALL of his Hazel's, Callen's sister, memories and thoughts and feelings. ALL of them. And that had to be confusing when they start to come through! When those memories sends them far north to find Hazel's daughter. When he comes face to face with that daughter. What was Thatch feeling? I needed that, I really did, and if I HAD Thatch, I have no doubt, not a single one, that this would have been a 5 star read.
I don't know if this is a stand alone, or there will be more of this group of people, I hope so, I really do!
But I don't get Thatch, and so. . .
4 good, great solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Hadley (567 KP) rated On Fire: a Teen Wolf Novel in Books
Feb 3, 2020
Favorite TV show (1 more)
Great side story
Nancy Holder is known in the literary world for her novel adaptations of TV shows, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville, which has made her the go-to author for popular teen shows. With her ability to mesh together a story with what is going on within the TV show, I'm not surprised that she was picked to adapt MTV's 'Teen Wolf' into a novel. Having only read this book by her, On Fire: a Teen Wolf Novel, is definitely a successful must-read for fans of the show.
Do you need to have watched the show to understand what is going on in the novel? Yes, because the book does backtrack, but unless you've watched at least season one, you will have no idea what is going on. But if you have watched the first season, On Fire will fill in the small gaps that was left out of the TV show's story without losing the characteristics of our favorite cast members.
This is a 'young adult' book, so you can expect the usual tropes like teen drama and romance - - - if you can get past that, the story can be enjoyable. The main characters are different enough to keep interest going, there are werewolves, and some men with guns. But I do have to say that I felt Allison's character was flat and boring in 'On Fire.'
The story gets underway when the main character, Scott, finds out that his girlfriend's best friend's boyfriend, Jackson, has gone missing. Scott and his girlfriend, Allison, decide to go look for him at the last place his phone's GPS blinked at, but Scott is using this just as an excuse to hang out with his girlfriend because Jackson is a sworn enemy of his. As I have said, if you haven't at least watched season one of MTV's Teen Wolf, you'll be pretty lost in the beginning of the story because there are no introductions to these characters, since it seems Holder was writing this specifically for fans of the TV show (I am a huge fan of the series, and highly recommend it to people who love mythical creatures, such as werewolves and banshees).
On the other side of the story, viewers of the show get to see Derek Hale and Kate Argent's backstory, which Derek is a werewolf and Kate is a werewolf hunter, the two had a quick romance, but it turned out to be a lie on Kate's side. This side of the story will make fans of the show happy because the series only gave hints towards the fake romance between the two characters, while Holder shows us exactly what happened. From Derek meeting Kate when he is only 17-years-old, and she older, to her burning the Hale household to the ground with most of Derek's family inside of it--- because she hunts werewolves, of course.
Meanwhile, both Derek and Scott have been having nightmares about an Alpha wolf, that seems to either want both of them dead or to join his pack. Worse of all, Scott and Derek both end up at the forest preserve that the dreams took place in, which both feel another wolf presence while being there. Since they both sense this, they start to wonder if Jackson's disappearance is a trap set by the Alpha.
During all of this, Jackson's girlfriend, Lydia, and his best friend Danny, are also searching for Jackson or any clue as to why he suddenly disappeared, which this has nothing to do with what actually happens to Jackson in the TV series. I think the best parts of this book are the scenes without Scott and Allison, who spend the majority of the time trying to make-out while doing a half-ass job searching for the lost friend. As I said before, if you can get past the teen romance, the story is actually really good. Especially my favorite character, Stiles, who had the best description in the entire book: "Life in his[Stiles] head was accompanied by the soundtrack of a small, eternal, dull ache, but word was that would go away after a few decades."
If you have watched the show, you'll be glad to know that this book isn't just an adaptation of season two--- this one has a different story in it that wasn't in the show. Without giving too much away, we get a different glimpse of Jackson's personality and problems he has dealt with much of his life. The book isn't a necessary read for fans, but it gives us a little bit more of the Teen Wolf world to read about, such as introductions of new characters (like a high school girl named Cassie), who never made it to the TV series. While reading this book, it can tempt readers to go back or even start watching the MTV series. I warn you, though, once you start watching, you won't be able to stop. Binge fest anyone?
There were a few inconsistencies, and a whole lot of typos--- whoever the editor was, was apparently not paying attention, but the story is good and the characters are unique. I recommend this to people who have watched the series, and to those who love mythical creatures. But I do wholeheartedly recommend you watch season one before attempting to read this novel, otherwise, you will be lost!
For more paranormal and fantasy book reviews, check out my blog at GoreAndTea.com
Do you need to have watched the show to understand what is going on in the novel? Yes, because the book does backtrack, but unless you've watched at least season one, you will have no idea what is going on. But if you have watched the first season, On Fire will fill in the small gaps that was left out of the TV show's story without losing the characteristics of our favorite cast members.
This is a 'young adult' book, so you can expect the usual tropes like teen drama and romance - - - if you can get past that, the story can be enjoyable. The main characters are different enough to keep interest going, there are werewolves, and some men with guns. But I do have to say that I felt Allison's character was flat and boring in 'On Fire.'
The story gets underway when the main character, Scott, finds out that his girlfriend's best friend's boyfriend, Jackson, has gone missing. Scott and his girlfriend, Allison, decide to go look for him at the last place his phone's GPS blinked at, but Scott is using this just as an excuse to hang out with his girlfriend because Jackson is a sworn enemy of his. As I have said, if you haven't at least watched season one of MTV's Teen Wolf, you'll be pretty lost in the beginning of the story because there are no introductions to these characters, since it seems Holder was writing this specifically for fans of the TV show (I am a huge fan of the series, and highly recommend it to people who love mythical creatures, such as werewolves and banshees).
On the other side of the story, viewers of the show get to see Derek Hale and Kate Argent's backstory, which Derek is a werewolf and Kate is a werewolf hunter, the two had a quick romance, but it turned out to be a lie on Kate's side. This side of the story will make fans of the show happy because the series only gave hints towards the fake romance between the two characters, while Holder shows us exactly what happened. From Derek meeting Kate when he is only 17-years-old, and she older, to her burning the Hale household to the ground with most of Derek's family inside of it--- because she hunts werewolves, of course.
Meanwhile, both Derek and Scott have been having nightmares about an Alpha wolf, that seems to either want both of them dead or to join his pack. Worse of all, Scott and Derek both end up at the forest preserve that the dreams took place in, which both feel another wolf presence while being there. Since they both sense this, they start to wonder if Jackson's disappearance is a trap set by the Alpha.
During all of this, Jackson's girlfriend, Lydia, and his best friend Danny, are also searching for Jackson or any clue as to why he suddenly disappeared, which this has nothing to do with what actually happens to Jackson in the TV series. I think the best parts of this book are the scenes without Scott and Allison, who spend the majority of the time trying to make-out while doing a half-ass job searching for the lost friend. As I said before, if you can get past the teen romance, the story is actually really good. Especially my favorite character, Stiles, who had the best description in the entire book: "Life in his[Stiles] head was accompanied by the soundtrack of a small, eternal, dull ache, but word was that would go away after a few decades."
If you have watched the show, you'll be glad to know that this book isn't just an adaptation of season two--- this one has a different story in it that wasn't in the show. Without giving too much away, we get a different glimpse of Jackson's personality and problems he has dealt with much of his life. The book isn't a necessary read for fans, but it gives us a little bit more of the Teen Wolf world to read about, such as introductions of new characters (like a high school girl named Cassie), who never made it to the TV series. While reading this book, it can tempt readers to go back or even start watching the MTV series. I warn you, though, once you start watching, you won't be able to stop. Binge fest anyone?
There were a few inconsistencies, and a whole lot of typos--- whoever the editor was, was apparently not paying attention, but the story is good and the characters are unique. I recommend this to people who have watched the series, and to those who love mythical creatures. But I do wholeheartedly recommend you watch season one before attempting to read this novel, otherwise, you will be lost!
For more paranormal and fantasy book reviews, check out my blog at GoreAndTea.com
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated It's Blunderful in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019 (Updated Jun 12, 2019)
Party games. We all have them, and our families all want to play them. But how many times can you stomach Apples to Apples or its harem of vomit-inducing copycat clones? Maybe you have a gamer family that can handle the Werewolf/Mafia/The Resistance line (Avalon ftw, homies). But if you just cannot get them to connect on something more gamer-y, maybe try putting them into awkward scenarios and see how they fare.
This is a straight up party game where you are bidding your VPs to answer questions about the person reading the question cards. We have all played games like this, right (Say Anything, anyone)? Well, this is in a similar vein, but the situations and scenarios printed on the cards here are a little more updated and unique. The genre and playstyle are not at all unique, mind you, but this may still have some value for some families.
On your turn you read a card that has an awkward scenario and three answers that you will need to answer for yourself how you would/or probably could see yourself reacting. Choose your answer card (A, B, C) and place it face-down in front of you. Every other player will have a score board that they will wager 5, 10, or 15 of their points to match your answer. Get it right and you gain the amount of wagered points. Get it wrong, and you fall that many points. The first player to reach 100 points is the winner!
Components: this game has a few different components, but the vast majority is a whomping stack of question cards. The cards are great Bicycle quality cards, and are easy to read. You also receive in the box eight dual-layered scoreboards with notches to keep your translucent scoring cube safe and bump-proof. The boards are great quality and the cube is a normal smoke-colored translucent cube (see below). No problems with components at all here.
I am going to just admit that I am not a huge fan of party games. Maybe once upon a time I liked them quite a bit, but it seems to me that many party games are just variations of the same game over and over. This one doesn’t really break the mold here, either, but it is enjoyable. The awkward situations are unique and the answers are mostly humorous. When we were playing my brother, Bryan, mentioned that he liked this game because it gave him alternatives to how he would normally react in these situations, so it was somewhat educational for him. I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but I believe if you are a fan of party games, you can’t really go wrong with this one. Purple Phoenix Games gives this title an positively awkward 12/18
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/its-blunderful-review/
This is a straight up party game where you are bidding your VPs to answer questions about the person reading the question cards. We have all played games like this, right (Say Anything, anyone)? Well, this is in a similar vein, but the situations and scenarios printed on the cards here are a little more updated and unique. The genre and playstyle are not at all unique, mind you, but this may still have some value for some families.
On your turn you read a card that has an awkward scenario and three answers that you will need to answer for yourself how you would/or probably could see yourself reacting. Choose your answer card (A, B, C) and place it face-down in front of you. Every other player will have a score board that they will wager 5, 10, or 15 of their points to match your answer. Get it right and you gain the amount of wagered points. Get it wrong, and you fall that many points. The first player to reach 100 points is the winner!
Components: this game has a few different components, but the vast majority is a whomping stack of question cards. The cards are great Bicycle quality cards, and are easy to read. You also receive in the box eight dual-layered scoreboards with notches to keep your translucent scoring cube safe and bump-proof. The boards are great quality and the cube is a normal smoke-colored translucent cube (see below). No problems with components at all here.
I am going to just admit that I am not a huge fan of party games. Maybe once upon a time I liked them quite a bit, but it seems to me that many party games are just variations of the same game over and over. This one doesn’t really break the mold here, either, but it is enjoyable. The awkward situations are unique and the answers are mostly humorous. When we were playing my brother, Bryan, mentioned that he liked this game because it gave him alternatives to how he would normally react in these situations, so it was somewhat educational for him. I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but I believe if you are a fan of party games, you can’t really go wrong with this one. Purple Phoenix Games gives this title an positively awkward 12/18
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/its-blunderful-review/
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated Fallen (Fallen, #1) in Books
Dec 12, 2018
This bestselling genre-crossing book has a captivating start and end, and I’m already looking forward to reading the next in the series!
The gist of the book is given away on its cover, so there’s no element of surprise here. It’s a love story between a human girl and an angel.
Although it clearly lies under the paranormal genre, the book is predominantly a romance, and the characters, even though they’ve been alive centuries, are presented as come-of-age teenagers, placing the book under the young adult genre also. It also comes under the urban fantasy genre, with its edgy beginnings at a reform school.
The prologue is enchanting with its snippet of the angel’s love for the girl in her previous life. The rest of the story is written from the viewpoint of the girl, Luce. Lucy would be your typical, if a little nervous, American girl, if it weren’t for her visions of black shadows that seem to appear only to her. With no reasonable explanation for the shadows, she was put on anti-psychotic medication.
Her story begins when she’s placed at a reform school, following the death of a friend that for some reason she has little recollection of, and (perhaps therefore) blames herself for. As you can imagine, the reform school has some lively, dramatic and intriguing characters! A love triangle is sparked on her first day. There’s the somehow familiar Daniel, who smiles, then flips her the bird, and the charming charismatic Cam, who can’t wait to spend time with her.
Luce finds herself drawn to Daniel, but he keeps giving her the brush off. Cam meanwhile takes a special interest in Luce. Once Luce has her “first” kiss with Daniel, she decides to meet Cam to apologise for leading him on. However, she ends up kissing Cam and the black shadows come after them. Daniel’s identity as a fallen angel is revealed to Luce and a battle (rather than their previous fist fight) begins. Luce flees for safety, only to find herself in further danger!
The obvious comparison here is with Stephanie Meyers Twilight Saga, which has a similar love triangle, but with a vampire and werewolf rather than fallen angels. Lauren Kate’s writing is not as good as Stephanie Meyers’, but is just as good as some of the other YA paranormal authors such as L J Smith, and Cassandra Clare. Although the romance is the central feature of the book, there are no erotic scenes.
I watched the film before reading the book, and found the film quite forgettable - but the book had me hooked! My interest in the next book in the series isn’t so much for the romance between Luce and Daniel, but for the inclusion of the other characters and the clear impression that there’s a lot more to the story than what’s been discovered so far!
The gist of the book is given away on its cover, so there’s no element of surprise here. It’s a love story between a human girl and an angel.
Although it clearly lies under the paranormal genre, the book is predominantly a romance, and the characters, even though they’ve been alive centuries, are presented as come-of-age teenagers, placing the book under the young adult genre also. It also comes under the urban fantasy genre, with its edgy beginnings at a reform school.
The prologue is enchanting with its snippet of the angel’s love for the girl in her previous life. The rest of the story is written from the viewpoint of the girl, Luce. Lucy would be your typical, if a little nervous, American girl, if it weren’t for her visions of black shadows that seem to appear only to her. With no reasonable explanation for the shadows, she was put on anti-psychotic medication.
Her story begins when she’s placed at a reform school, following the death of a friend that for some reason she has little recollection of, and (perhaps therefore) blames herself for. As you can imagine, the reform school has some lively, dramatic and intriguing characters! A love triangle is sparked on her first day. There’s the somehow familiar Daniel, who smiles, then flips her the bird, and the charming charismatic Cam, who can’t wait to spend time with her.
Luce finds herself drawn to Daniel, but he keeps giving her the brush off. Cam meanwhile takes a special interest in Luce. Once Luce has her “first” kiss with Daniel, she decides to meet Cam to apologise for leading him on. However, she ends up kissing Cam and the black shadows come after them. Daniel’s identity as a fallen angel is revealed to Luce and a battle (rather than their previous fist fight) begins. Luce flees for safety, only to find herself in further danger!
The obvious comparison here is with Stephanie Meyers Twilight Saga, which has a similar love triangle, but with a vampire and werewolf rather than fallen angels. Lauren Kate’s writing is not as good as Stephanie Meyers’, but is just as good as some of the other YA paranormal authors such as L J Smith, and Cassandra Clare. Although the romance is the central feature of the book, there are no erotic scenes.
I watched the film before reading the book, and found the film quite forgettable - but the book had me hooked! My interest in the next book in the series isn’t so much for the romance between Luce and Daniel, but for the inclusion of the other characters and the clear impression that there’s a lot more to the story than what’s been discovered so far!
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Videodrome (1983) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019
Max Renn is the president of Civic TV channel 83, a channel known for showcasing the most erotic and violent programming that anyone has ever come across. As you can imagine, the channel has a specific audience and Max takes it upon himself to find the next big thing for the network. Everything he comes across is too tame until Max gets ahold of Harlan. Harlan is an employee who specializes in pirate video broadcasts. It's through Harlan that Max is first exposed to Videodrome, an hour program that centralizes on torture and murder. Max becomes obsessed with Videodrome and realizes it may be the next step for channel 83. He does everything within his power to find out more about Videodrome ranging from where it's originally broadcast to tracking down the original supplier and even watching countless hours of bootleg videotapes. In addition to his obsession, Max begins hallucinating. Through his investigations, he finds out Videodrome transmissions cause tumors in the brain of whoever is able to actually watch it and therefore alter reality through hallucination. As Max begins to lose touch with reality, the people behind Videodrome have bigger plans for Max. Much bigger.
Videodrome is an interesting sci-fi horror film. It's the type of film that gets better with each viewing. It's also got some pretty amazing make-up effects by the incredible Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London, The Frighteners). So while the film does show its age at times (mainly during the segment where Max is having his hallucination recorded by Spectacular Optacle owner, Barry Convex), the majority of the special effects hold up incredibly well after 26 years. It also boasts one of the most original and intriguing death scenes (Barry Convex's) of any horror film.
The David Cronenberg helmed psycological thriller is more than just great special effects. In all honesty, it's spectacularly odd. The hallucinations alone will leave some viewers scratching their heads, but there is a clever and intelligent story beneath all the weirdness. The story focuses on TV, which is a source of entertainment that everyone relies on and it takes aim at sex and violence. The two themes people are attracted to the most, but the consequences the film comes up with for watching a program that uses these themes to the extreme is truly one of its defining moments. So while whipping a TV set may seem like an illogical idea to most, Videodrome's superb writing makes it seem almost logical. The fact that the film concentrates on something like television that everyone can relate to while creating an intelligent reasoning for it makes the entire experience more believable.
Videodrome is a cult classic for a good reason. While it may seem odd at first, it's actually an intelligent and well-made sci-fi horror film. That old layer of skin may look and feel like a film that is too weird for most audiences that's outdated and doesn't make any sense, but beneath that old flesh is the new flesh. In this case, the new flesh is actually a superb film with a quick witted script, a terrific story, special effects that hold up to this day, and just a worthwhile experience overall. It's a cult classic that's worthy of being added to any horror or sci-fi fan's collection. Long live the new flesh.
Videodrome is an interesting sci-fi horror film. It's the type of film that gets better with each viewing. It's also got some pretty amazing make-up effects by the incredible Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London, The Frighteners). So while the film does show its age at times (mainly during the segment where Max is having his hallucination recorded by Spectacular Optacle owner, Barry Convex), the majority of the special effects hold up incredibly well after 26 years. It also boasts one of the most original and intriguing death scenes (Barry Convex's) of any horror film.
The David Cronenberg helmed psycological thriller is more than just great special effects. In all honesty, it's spectacularly odd. The hallucinations alone will leave some viewers scratching their heads, but there is a clever and intelligent story beneath all the weirdness. The story focuses on TV, which is a source of entertainment that everyone relies on and it takes aim at sex and violence. The two themes people are attracted to the most, but the consequences the film comes up with for watching a program that uses these themes to the extreme is truly one of its defining moments. So while whipping a TV set may seem like an illogical idea to most, Videodrome's superb writing makes it seem almost logical. The fact that the film concentrates on something like television that everyone can relate to while creating an intelligent reasoning for it makes the entire experience more believable.
Videodrome is a cult classic for a good reason. While it may seem odd at first, it's actually an intelligent and well-made sci-fi horror film. That old layer of skin may look and feel like a film that is too weird for most audiences that's outdated and doesn't make any sense, but beneath that old flesh is the new flesh. In this case, the new flesh is actually a superb film with a quick witted script, a terrific story, special effects that hold up to this day, and just a worthwhile experience overall. It's a cult classic that's worthy of being added to any horror or sci-fi fan's collection. Long live the new flesh.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) in Movies
Jul 24, 2020
Bone Daddy Nearly Ruins Christmas!
Every Halloween, Jack the Pumpkin King, would go out and scare many people with his frightening theatrics. Unfortunately, Jack has grown tired of doing the same routine every year and wanted to do something different. It was then that Jack accidentally ended up in Christmas Town and he was so awed and amazed at the Christmas visuals and the figure of Santa Claus (who he mistakenly calls "Sandy Claws"), that he decided that he should take over Christmas for the year! This then leads to Santa Claus being kidnapped by Oogie Boogie and Christmas nearly put into disaster!
Can Jack fix all of this before it's too late?
Seriously, this is probably my most favorite film made by Tim Burton (well technically, it was produced by Tim Burton and the poem was written by him, but Henry Selick directed the film). I just loved the cute yet nightmarish visuals in this movie as they gave the movie a creative vibe and I really loved seeing the different kinds of characters that pop up in Halloween Town, with my favorite creatures being the Clown with the Tearaway Face and the Vampires! I also loved the characters themselves as they were all interesting and amusing to look at. Probably my most favorite character in this entire movie was none other than Jack Skellington himself as he was a truly charming and charismatic character! I just loved the way that Jack went about trying something different for a change and it was cute seeing him lit up with enthusiasm as he tried to become the new Santa Claus. I also loved the character of Sally the Rag Doll as she truly cares about Jack and would do anything to prevent Jack from ruining Christmas! The visuals were amazing as all the characters look truly nightmarish (especially the werewolf and the witches) and yet, their personalities are so likable that you cannot help but actually care for these characters. Probably the best part of this movie were the songs themselves as they truly capture the true essence of this film, with my favorite songs being "What's This?" "This is Halloween" and "Sally's Song."
The only problem with this film is that the reason why this movie was rated PG was because of the scary imagery. So, there may be some images, like the various monsters that show up in this film, that might scare smaller children for the most part. Also, there is not enough back stories with any of these characters to really get to know their true motives and their existence, so some people might be a bit confused about where some of the motives of the characters came from, like in the case of Oogie Boogie where we don't know much about his character other than he despises Jack Skellington.
Overall, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a fantastic animated film that you can see either during Christmas or Halloween ( a two in one deal, how cool is that)? and it will forever be remembered as a classic film that Tim Burton and stop motion fans will love for many years!
Originally posted on: http://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/movie-review-nightmare-before-christmas.html
Can Jack fix all of this before it's too late?
Seriously, this is probably my most favorite film made by Tim Burton (well technically, it was produced by Tim Burton and the poem was written by him, but Henry Selick directed the film). I just loved the cute yet nightmarish visuals in this movie as they gave the movie a creative vibe and I really loved seeing the different kinds of characters that pop up in Halloween Town, with my favorite creatures being the Clown with the Tearaway Face and the Vampires! I also loved the characters themselves as they were all interesting and amusing to look at. Probably my most favorite character in this entire movie was none other than Jack Skellington himself as he was a truly charming and charismatic character! I just loved the way that Jack went about trying something different for a change and it was cute seeing him lit up with enthusiasm as he tried to become the new Santa Claus. I also loved the character of Sally the Rag Doll as she truly cares about Jack and would do anything to prevent Jack from ruining Christmas! The visuals were amazing as all the characters look truly nightmarish (especially the werewolf and the witches) and yet, their personalities are so likable that you cannot help but actually care for these characters. Probably the best part of this movie were the songs themselves as they truly capture the true essence of this film, with my favorite songs being "What's This?" "This is Halloween" and "Sally's Song."
The only problem with this film is that the reason why this movie was rated PG was because of the scary imagery. So, there may be some images, like the various monsters that show up in this film, that might scare smaller children for the most part. Also, there is not enough back stories with any of these characters to really get to know their true motives and their existence, so some people might be a bit confused about where some of the motives of the characters came from, like in the case of Oogie Boogie where we don't know much about his character other than he despises Jack Skellington.
Overall, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a fantastic animated film that you can see either during Christmas or Halloween ( a two in one deal, how cool is that)? and it will forever be remembered as a classic film that Tim Burton and stop motion fans will love for many years!
Originally posted on: http://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/movie-review-nightmare-before-christmas.html
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Cursed (2005) in Movies
Sep 18, 2020
the cgi (2 more)
production problems
PG-13 not R
Hollywood's Own Werewolves
Cursed- could of been better. It had a good young cast of people. Just the movie itself was so-so. The cgi/visual effects were bad, like really bad. So bad it made the movie bad.
The only thing making this film good is its young cast and the horror.
The plot: In Los Angeles, siblings Ellie (Christina Ricci) and Jimmy (Jesse Eisenberg) come across an accident on Mulholland Drive. As they try to help the woman caught in the wreckage, a ferocious creature attacks them, devouring the woman and scratching the terrified siblings. They slowly discover that the creature was a werewolf and that they have fallen victim to a deadly curse. Now that they have been sliced by the werewolf's claws, they will be transformed into werewolves themselves.
Originally planned for 2003, the film is a notable example of development hell, taking over two more years to be made than originally planned, during which producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein kept asking for reshoots and changes to the plot, re-edited the movie to give a PG-13 rating rather than the original intended R-rating, and fired legendary makeup artist Rick Baker to replace the werewolves he had created with computer-generated ones.
The film was a box-office failure and was panned by critics; Craven himself was very displeased with the final result.
The set used for the high school is Torrance High School, the same used for Sunnydale High on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and West Beverly High on Beverly Hills, 90210 and its spin-off 90210.
However, the film soon suffered numerous production and script issues and was postponed for over a year. While production was stalled, several cast members had to be replaced due to scheduling conflicts with other films. When the movie was rewritten and reshot, many cast members had been cut entirely, including Skeet Ulrich, Mandy Moore, Omar Epps, Illeana Douglas, Heather Langenkamp, Scott Foley, Robert Forster, and Corey Feldman.
Only about 90% of the original version was filmed, leaving the original ending unfilmed. Although, while filming the original version, producer Bob Weinstein told Wes Craven he was happy with the film, he later changed his opinion and ordered for the movie to be reshot with a new plot. After massive reshoots which included filming a new ending, Weinstein told Craven he didn't like the new ending, leading to another ending where Jake attacks Ellie and Jimmy in their home, despite some incoherence with the rest of the film.
In the fall of 2004, Dimension cut the film to a PG-13 rating instead of the planned R rating. Speaking to the New York Post, Wes Craven commented, "The contract called for us to make an R-rated film. We did. It was a very difficult process. Then it was basically taken away from us and cut to PG-13 and ruined. It was two years of very difficult work and almost 100 days of shooting of various versions. Then at the very end, it was chopped up and the studio thought they could make more with a PG-13 movie, and trashed it ... I thought it was completely disrespectful, and it hurt them too, and it was like they shot themselves in the foot with a shotgun.
Its a decent movie.
The only thing making this film good is its young cast and the horror.
The plot: In Los Angeles, siblings Ellie (Christina Ricci) and Jimmy (Jesse Eisenberg) come across an accident on Mulholland Drive. As they try to help the woman caught in the wreckage, a ferocious creature attacks them, devouring the woman and scratching the terrified siblings. They slowly discover that the creature was a werewolf and that they have fallen victim to a deadly curse. Now that they have been sliced by the werewolf's claws, they will be transformed into werewolves themselves.
Originally planned for 2003, the film is a notable example of development hell, taking over two more years to be made than originally planned, during which producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein kept asking for reshoots and changes to the plot, re-edited the movie to give a PG-13 rating rather than the original intended R-rating, and fired legendary makeup artist Rick Baker to replace the werewolves he had created with computer-generated ones.
The film was a box-office failure and was panned by critics; Craven himself was very displeased with the final result.
The set used for the high school is Torrance High School, the same used for Sunnydale High on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and West Beverly High on Beverly Hills, 90210 and its spin-off 90210.
However, the film soon suffered numerous production and script issues and was postponed for over a year. While production was stalled, several cast members had to be replaced due to scheduling conflicts with other films. When the movie was rewritten and reshot, many cast members had been cut entirely, including Skeet Ulrich, Mandy Moore, Omar Epps, Illeana Douglas, Heather Langenkamp, Scott Foley, Robert Forster, and Corey Feldman.
Only about 90% of the original version was filmed, leaving the original ending unfilmed. Although, while filming the original version, producer Bob Weinstein told Wes Craven he was happy with the film, he later changed his opinion and ordered for the movie to be reshot with a new plot. After massive reshoots which included filming a new ending, Weinstein told Craven he didn't like the new ending, leading to another ending where Jake attacks Ellie and Jimmy in their home, despite some incoherence with the rest of the film.
In the fall of 2004, Dimension cut the film to a PG-13 rating instead of the planned R rating. Speaking to the New York Post, Wes Craven commented, "The contract called for us to make an R-rated film. We did. It was a very difficult process. Then it was basically taken away from us and cut to PG-13 and ruined. It was two years of very difficult work and almost 100 days of shooting of various versions. Then at the very end, it was chopped up and the studio thought they could make more with a PG-13 movie, and trashed it ... I thought it was completely disrespectful, and it hurt them too, and it was like they shot themselves in the foot with a shotgun.
Its a decent movie.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Pretense in Tabletop Games
Sep 24, 2019
Have you ever invented something that already exists? I have. I invented the mechanism that is used in fast food joints where you can fill up the cups with just enough ice and pop (yes, it’s POP) per size of cup. So it only fills up enough ice and pop to fill a Small cup, for example. I invented that!! Until I saw that it was in use a year later after not doing anything about it. In any case, Pretense is a game that I should have invented. It’s one of those ideas where you think to yourself, “Well gall-darnit, why didn’t I think of that??”
This is a Button Shy game so you know it will be compact and fit into one of those nylon wallet things. Mine, however, was Kickstarted and came in and still resides in a clear plastic bag. No wallet. Oh well. It’s a small set of cards that you deal out to attendees of your game night when they arrive. Each player then reads their role cards to themselves and the game is on.
A game of Pretense is a meta-game that lasts the entire game night (or longer if you are hard core). When you have your role card you are trying to get someone to satisfy your role’s requirement so that you may catch them, announce your role, and then take their role card to assume their requirements. The “winner” is the person at the end of the game with the most amount of won role cards.
As you can see from the Klutz card above, if someone mentions that you suck at keeping your rolled dice on the table, you can announce that you are the Klutz, take their role card and continue playing as someone else. Well gall-darnit, why didn’t I think of that? It’s genius!
And it IS genius. It is a simple and sleek design that keeps everyone on their toes for the entire evening, trying to catch each other saying or doing something outrageous or quite normal – just to slap it in their faces and flaunt their gaming supremacy.
Components. Again, I have the Kickstarter Button Shy version of Pretense and it’s some cards in a basic clear plastic bag… well, sleeve. The cards are fine quality, and the art on them is quite good. They all have the same portraiture but with different subjects, and a nameplate above the game details. No issues on components or art here.
Pretense is a game that I can pull out with minimal (or no) explanation and have people plotting and sneaking all night long. I believe the boxed AEG version also provides role token (a la Werewolf) so everyone knows which roles are in play, but that’s no fun. It’s catching people when they aren’t thinking about what they’re doing that really makes this one shine. It will never make my Top 100 list, but I will also never let it go. I do love it and it has led to many hilarious accusations and subterfuge, so it will be mine for all time. As this game is difficult to really rate (due to it being more of an activity and not so much a game), I have left off any numeric values. This is a good time and you should defo try it out.
This is a Button Shy game so you know it will be compact and fit into one of those nylon wallet things. Mine, however, was Kickstarted and came in and still resides in a clear plastic bag. No wallet. Oh well. It’s a small set of cards that you deal out to attendees of your game night when they arrive. Each player then reads their role cards to themselves and the game is on.
A game of Pretense is a meta-game that lasts the entire game night (or longer if you are hard core). When you have your role card you are trying to get someone to satisfy your role’s requirement so that you may catch them, announce your role, and then take their role card to assume their requirements. The “winner” is the person at the end of the game with the most amount of won role cards.
As you can see from the Klutz card above, if someone mentions that you suck at keeping your rolled dice on the table, you can announce that you are the Klutz, take their role card and continue playing as someone else. Well gall-darnit, why didn’t I think of that? It’s genius!
And it IS genius. It is a simple and sleek design that keeps everyone on their toes for the entire evening, trying to catch each other saying or doing something outrageous or quite normal – just to slap it in their faces and flaunt their gaming supremacy.
Components. Again, I have the Kickstarter Button Shy version of Pretense and it’s some cards in a basic clear plastic bag… well, sleeve. The cards are fine quality, and the art on them is quite good. They all have the same portraiture but with different subjects, and a nameplate above the game details. No issues on components or art here.
Pretense is a game that I can pull out with minimal (or no) explanation and have people plotting and sneaking all night long. I believe the boxed AEG version also provides role token (a la Werewolf) so everyone knows which roles are in play, but that’s no fun. It’s catching people when they aren’t thinking about what they’re doing that really makes this one shine. It will never make my Top 100 list, but I will also never let it go. I do love it and it has led to many hilarious accusations and subterfuge, so it will be mine for all time. As this game is difficult to really rate (due to it being more of an activity and not so much a game), I have left off any numeric values. This is a good time and you should defo try it out.
