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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Never Hike Alone (2017) in Movies
Oct 20, 2020
Never Hike Alone is a hell of an accomplishment - a fan made film based on Friday the 13th that is as good, maybe even better, than the best entries in the main franchise.
It's premise is simple - a survival/hiking enthusiast is collecting footage for his YouTube channel when he accidentally stumbles across the remains of Camp Crystal Lake, resulting in a one on one fight for his life when he discovers that Jason Voorhees still resides there - and it's short runtime (clocking in at just under an hour) make for a no-filler, sharp-shock slice of slasher goodness.
It carries a lot of tension, the first half being relatively calm as protagonist Kyle (Drew Leighty) explores the remnant of the camp. Fans of the original film will surely get a kick out of recognisable landmarks, including the bed that Kevin Bacon was skewered through. It's a nice way of showing that this short is a true love letter to the franchise. Kyle is a likable and believable lead who's survival skill set makes him a good match for the big bad.
When Jason eventually shows up, he's damn scary! This version of Jason is just relentless. He's quick, heavy footed, and smashes through doors like they're not even there. Director Vincent DiSanti fills the shoes of Jason, and his tall and broad figure make for a genuinely intimidating version of this beloved horror icon.
He looks fantastic as well, it's clear that a lot of effort was put into his make up and costume.
Top all of this off with a cameo from Thom Mathews himself, and what you get is a recipe for a successful short film, made for fans, by fans.
Never Hike Alone is a real treat for anyone who even has a passing interest in Friday the 13th. Hats off to Womp Stomp Films for their great work.
It's premise is simple - a survival/hiking enthusiast is collecting footage for his YouTube channel when he accidentally stumbles across the remains of Camp Crystal Lake, resulting in a one on one fight for his life when he discovers that Jason Voorhees still resides there - and it's short runtime (clocking in at just under an hour) make for a no-filler, sharp-shock slice of slasher goodness.
It carries a lot of tension, the first half being relatively calm as protagonist Kyle (Drew Leighty) explores the remnant of the camp. Fans of the original film will surely get a kick out of recognisable landmarks, including the bed that Kevin Bacon was skewered through. It's a nice way of showing that this short is a true love letter to the franchise. Kyle is a likable and believable lead who's survival skill set makes him a good match for the big bad.
When Jason eventually shows up, he's damn scary! This version of Jason is just relentless. He's quick, heavy footed, and smashes through doors like they're not even there. Director Vincent DiSanti fills the shoes of Jason, and his tall and broad figure make for a genuinely intimidating version of this beloved horror icon.
He looks fantastic as well, it's clear that a lot of effort was put into his make up and costume.
Top all of this off with a cameo from Thom Mathews himself, and what you get is a recipe for a successful short film, made for fans, by fans.
Never Hike Alone is a real treat for anyone who even has a passing interest in Friday the 13th. Hats off to Womp Stomp Films for their great work.
ClareR (5854 KP) rated All the Broken Places in Books
Nov 4, 2023
Gretel Fernsby has a terrible secret that she’d rather others didn’t know. If you’ve read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, you’ll recognise the name: Gretel is the daughter of the camp Commandant of Auschwitz.
In short chapters, flashing between the past and the present, we learn about 91 year old Gretel’s past, and what happened when she and her mother escaped Germany.
Gretel is very well off, living in an expensive block of very large flats in central London. She doesn’t really have any friends, and seems to keep her true self from everyone including her son.
She is confronted with the memory of her younger brother, Bruno, when a boy of his age moves in to the downstairs flat. She realises that his father is violent, and his mother is abused. Gretel can’t let this kind of violence happen again.
The characters in this were superb. Whilst the first book had its problems with historical accuracy, I feel that this book centred more around trauma, guilt and shame. Gretel carries all of these things around with her forever. She feels culpable for what happened in the camp - even though she was both a child and female. In retrospect, she is able to see what was wrong with the nazi regime, but at the time would have been brainwashed. She wouldn’t have known a time where Jews and other “undesirable” minorities would have been treated any differently. The wonder is that she went on to learn that this was wrong. The trauma that she carries with her from the death of her brother, learning about what her father was guilty of, and occurrences in Paris, is lifelong.
From Gretel’s life experiences to those of her downstairs neighbour, everything is handled with compassion and tact. Again, it’s not perfect, but then neither are humans. And that is what this book shows above all: that we can learn from our mistakes if we are willing to do so.
In short chapters, flashing between the past and the present, we learn about 91 year old Gretel’s past, and what happened when she and her mother escaped Germany.
Gretel is very well off, living in an expensive block of very large flats in central London. She doesn’t really have any friends, and seems to keep her true self from everyone including her son.
She is confronted with the memory of her younger brother, Bruno, when a boy of his age moves in to the downstairs flat. She realises that his father is violent, and his mother is abused. Gretel can’t let this kind of violence happen again.
The characters in this were superb. Whilst the first book had its problems with historical accuracy, I feel that this book centred more around trauma, guilt and shame. Gretel carries all of these things around with her forever. She feels culpable for what happened in the camp - even though she was both a child and female. In retrospect, she is able to see what was wrong with the nazi regime, but at the time would have been brainwashed. She wouldn’t have known a time where Jews and other “undesirable” minorities would have been treated any differently. The wonder is that she went on to learn that this was wrong. The trauma that she carries with her from the death of her brother, learning about what her father was guilty of, and occurrences in Paris, is lifelong.
From Gretel’s life experiences to those of her downstairs neighbour, everything is handled with compassion and tact. Again, it’s not perfect, but then neither are humans. And that is what this book shows above all: that we can learn from our mistakes if we are willing to do so.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Night of the Comet (1984) in Movies
Mar 31, 2019
Not as good as I remember
I was hoping this film held up over the years like Breakfast Club, Fright Night or even Night of the Living Dead, but not really.
Two teenage are among the few who survive an encounter with a comet that leaves most of the world's population dead turned into orange ash or mutated zombies. Instead of being overly concerned about their situation, they decide to go shopping and do makeovers on themselves with all the latest 80s fashions and make up trends. A few scientist types who also survived are harvesting some other normal people to collect their blood to ease in prolonged exposure.
Seeing all the 80s clothing, hairstyles and musical score was fun, but there were not many laughs. I can forgive low budget if the camp factor is entertaining enough; however, last night when I watched it mostly fell flat.
Kind of disappointed.
Two teenage are among the few who survive an encounter with a comet that leaves most of the world's population dead turned into orange ash or mutated zombies. Instead of being overly concerned about their situation, they decide to go shopping and do makeovers on themselves with all the latest 80s fashions and make up trends. A few scientist types who also survived are harvesting some other normal people to collect their blood to ease in prolonged exposure.
Seeing all the 80s clothing, hairstyles and musical score was fun, but there were not many laughs. I can forgive low budget if the camp factor is entertaining enough; however, last night when I watched it mostly fell flat.
Kind of disappointed.
Awix (3310 KP) rated For Your Eyes Only (1981) in Movies
May 10, 2019
First of the 80s Bonds takes a step back from the camp excesses of the previous couple of entries and tries for a more Connery-esque, down to earth style; the results are impressive if perhaps a little too bland for this to really qualify as a Great Bond Movie.
Roger Moore's search for a missing component of a missile defence system (it's a Maguffin) takes him all around the Med and up into Italy; highlights include various inventive chases and other set pieces - everyone seems to be trying hard to do something original, which is nice. Also includes a scene where Bond rebuffs a hot young blonde who turns up in his bed, possibly the most out-of-character moment in the entire series. The lack of a really memorable villain also counts against it, but this is still possibly the best of the Moore Bonds, and the best of the decade.
Roger Moore's search for a missing component of a missile defence system (it's a Maguffin) takes him all around the Med and up into Italy; highlights include various inventive chases and other set pieces - everyone seems to be trying hard to do something original, which is nice. Also includes a scene where Bond rebuffs a hot young blonde who turns up in his bed, possibly the most out-of-character moment in the entire series. The lack of a really memorable villain also counts against it, but this is still possibly the best of the Moore Bonds, and the best of the decade.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2322 KP) rated A Red Herring Without Mustard (Flavia de Luce, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
A gypsy woman is traveling through the village where eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce lives, and Flavia invites the woman to set up camp in the pasture on the edge of the family property. Late that night, someone attacks the woman, and Flavia feels responsible for figuring out what exactly happened to her guest. Can she do it?
Flavia is a different character for a series aimed at adults, and I find I do enjoy spending time with her. Unfortunately, she can get annoying at times, and I definitely found that the case here as I wanted to slap some sense into her. Other characters tried, so that made me feel better. The story can get a bit bogged down in Flavia’s side stories in the narration, but it was a pleasure seeing how the various threads were all brought together for the climax.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-red-herring-without-mustard.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Flavia is a different character for a series aimed at adults, and I find I do enjoy spending time with her. Unfortunately, she can get annoying at times, and I definitely found that the case here as I wanted to slap some sense into her. Other characters tried, so that made me feel better. The story can get a bit bogged down in Flavia’s side stories in the narration, but it was a pleasure seeing how the various threads were all brought together for the climax.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-red-herring-without-mustard.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2322 KP) rated Don't Look Back in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Eve Hardaway takes a trip to the jungles of southern Mexico in order to rediscover herself. Instead, she discovers something truly horrifying, a mad man bent on killing her and everyone else at the remote camp where she is staying. With the weather conspiring against them, will they be able to get out to safety?
The book took a little while to set up the story, introducing us to the characters and the landscape we’d spend the rest of the book in. But once it gets going, this is another page turner from a talented thriller author. The villain was a bit over the top early on, but he became more human as the book progressed – not that I ever liked him. The rest of the characters are interesting to watch as they rise to the challenge or cave under the pressure.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-dont-look-back-by-gregg.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book took a little while to set up the story, introducing us to the characters and the landscape we’d spend the rest of the book in. But once it gets going, this is another page turner from a talented thriller author. The villain was a bit over the top early on, but he became more human as the book progressed – not that I ever liked him. The rest of the characters are interesting to watch as they rise to the challenge or cave under the pressure.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-dont-look-back-by-gregg.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes? in Books
Dec 5, 2018
A moving insight into mental health
While it has a fairly fun and playful sounding title, this book is far from being fun and playful. It’s a very interesting but definitely serious take on mental health in teenagers. I’d dare anyone to read this and not find something in common with one of the characters currently residing at Camp Reset. Olive herself is a tormented yet intriguing main character, however she does make for difficult reading at times. As a reader, you can see what’s going on with her even thought she can’t see it herself, and it makes reading quite frustrating, although this is the true reality of mental illness. The book also has a very good message, and almost had me in tears at the end, especially with the letter from the writer Holly Bourne. This is definitely not a feel good story, but definitely one that gets you thinking.
David McK (3547 KP) rated Batman: The Dark Knight Returns in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Commonly cited as one of the best Batman graphic novels, this is the one that turned Batman from the Camp Crusader of the Adam West years into the growling anti-hero of the Tim Burton and (later) Christopher Nolan films (leaving aside the Schumacher mis-steps in the middle).
Written in the 80s but set in the near-future, this sees Bruce Wayne return to his role as the vigilante 10 years after unspecified events that saw him hang up his cape. His return, however, also sees the return of some old foes, alongside that of some new.
While - as it was written in the 80s - some of the subject matter is now out of date (most noticeably, the Cold War between America and the USSR), this still holds up surprisingly well. I also have to say that, with some crowded art panels, language and the violence throughout, this is also not one for the kiddies!
Written in the 80s but set in the near-future, this sees Bruce Wayne return to his role as the vigilante 10 years after unspecified events that saw him hang up his cape. His return, however, also sees the return of some old foes, alongside that of some new.
While - as it was written in the 80s - some of the subject matter is now out of date (most noticeably, the Cold War between America and the USSR), this still holds up surprisingly well. I also have to say that, with some crowded art panels, language and the violence throughout, this is also not one for the kiddies!
Vegas (725 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Red Dead Redemption 2 in Video Games
Jul 7, 2019 (Updated Jul 8, 2019)
The story (1 more)
The gameplay
Improvement on the original
The long awaited sequel (prequel) to red dead doesn't disappoint in the solo game, the story is an epic adventure travelling through the open plains to the growing towns and cities, railroads, carriages, and horseback are all ways of getting around the massive map. Build up your camp, help the gang, or rob stores and banks the choice is yours, you can even spend time fishing or hunting...
The cast of characters you meet are diverse, funny, serious, violent or just odd but whoever you meet, you do find yourself caring one way or another about the people in the game you interact with...
I will say I did struggle to get as engaged in the multi player game side of it, but that is just a personal thing as I do prefer solo gaming...
For shear enjoyment aspect and length of game, this is one of the best games of recent times.
The cast of characters you meet are diverse, funny, serious, violent or just odd but whoever you meet, you do find yourself caring one way or another about the people in the game you interact with...
I will say I did struggle to get as engaged in the multi player game side of it, but that is just a personal thing as I do prefer solo gaming...
For shear enjoyment aspect and length of game, this is one of the best games of recent times.
The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust
Edith Hahn Beer and Susan Dworkin
8.0
Rate It
Book
Edith Hahn was a young law student in Vienna when Hitler absorbed Austria in 1938. Madly in love...