Search
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Twisted (2004) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
For newly promoted Homicide Detective Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd), life is about to take an unexpected twist that will leave the most private aspects of her life on display and her very sanity questioned.
Sheppard has just been promoted to the San Francisco Homicide unit after bringing in suspected serial killer Edmund Cutler (Leland Orser). Sheppard ignored protocol and almost became a victim herself so there are those in the department who resent her promotion and credit it to her gender and the fact that she is sponsored by a high ranking official named John Mills (Samuel L. Jackson) who has raised her since Shepard’s parents were killed years earlier.
Sheppard is soon called in to investigate a body floating in the bay, and is shocked to discover the victim is a man she picked up in a bar previously. When a second body is discovered also with a connection to Shepard, her partner Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia), thinks that Jessica may have an obsessive stalker following her.
Jessica is soon a suspect in the killings and the fact that she is blacking out at night is causing Jessica to suspect that she may be responsible for the killings.
What should be a tense thriller never emerges as the film plods along never allowing any tension to build. There are attempts to plant a few red-herrings as the film draws to the conclusion but the identity of the killer is so obvious that all that is missing is a neon sign proclaiming the obvious. To further add to the failure of the film, I was able to see events coming far in advance including the events of the final confrontation.
Judd and Garcia do the best they can with the material but Jackson is woefully underused in a story that seems better suited for a movie of the week. It is a shame that an interesting premise such as this is wasted, as “Twisted” is a whodunit that will leave you saying who cares.
Sheppard has just been promoted to the San Francisco Homicide unit after bringing in suspected serial killer Edmund Cutler (Leland Orser). Sheppard ignored protocol and almost became a victim herself so there are those in the department who resent her promotion and credit it to her gender and the fact that she is sponsored by a high ranking official named John Mills (Samuel L. Jackson) who has raised her since Shepard’s parents were killed years earlier.
Sheppard is soon called in to investigate a body floating in the bay, and is shocked to discover the victim is a man she picked up in a bar previously. When a second body is discovered also with a connection to Shepard, her partner Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia), thinks that Jessica may have an obsessive stalker following her.
Jessica is soon a suspect in the killings and the fact that she is blacking out at night is causing Jessica to suspect that she may be responsible for the killings.
What should be a tense thriller never emerges as the film plods along never allowing any tension to build. There are attempts to plant a few red-herrings as the film draws to the conclusion but the identity of the killer is so obvious that all that is missing is a neon sign proclaiming the obvious. To further add to the failure of the film, I was able to see events coming far in advance including the events of the final confrontation.
Judd and Garcia do the best they can with the material but Jackson is woefully underused in a story that seems better suited for a movie of the week. It is a shame that an interesting premise such as this is wasted, as “Twisted” is a whodunit that will leave you saying who cares.
Follow Me: The Bestselling Crime Novel Terrifying Everyone This Year
Book
**'We've been waiting for a novel that shows just how creepy and scary social media actually is and...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 9 in TV
May 10, 2020
The ninth season of AHS, subtitled "1984" is definitely up there in terms of silliness. However, where this has been an issue for me with a few previous seasons, this time around it's a huge strong point.
1984 is one big homage to 80s slasher films, in particular Friday the 13th. If you've read my any of my reviews before, you will know that I bloody love a slasher, even the shitty ones, so this premise was always going to be a winner for me.
A big change this time around is the absence of big AHS names. No Sarah Paulson, no Evan Peters, no Kathy Bates. Their presence is certainly missed in some sort of capacity, but the cast we have do a solid job at carrying the season. Emma Roberts and Billie Lourd take centre stage here, and are both great. We also see some familiar faces in Leslie Grossman, Cody Fern, John Carroll Lynch, Finn Wittrock, Leslie Jordan, Lily Rabe, and Dylan McDermott, so it still has that signature AHS feel. A couple of newcomers are introduced as well - Matthew Morrison and Gus Kenworthy are both hilarious. Zach Villa plays real life serial killer Richard Ramirez (who briefly appeared all the way back in Hotel) and the guy is genuinely menacing. If another season of Twin Peaks ever gets made - he's a dead ringer for Killer Bob.
One of the highlights is "villain" Mr. Jingles (John Carroll Lynch). He's such a finely crafted character, that he honestly deserves to stand next to the Jason and Freddy's of the slasher world.
The story is pretty fun. Mixing 80s campy horror with more familiar AHS elements (such as ghosts not being able to leave the place they died etc) and is pretty engaging for the most part. It gets a little convoluted near the end, and lacks the depth that seasons such as Asylum and Roanoke gave, but it's forgiveable considering the quality of everything else.
As a final thought - the synthwave version of the theme tune is fucking awesome.
1984 is one big homage to 80s slasher films, in particular Friday the 13th. If you've read my any of my reviews before, you will know that I bloody love a slasher, even the shitty ones, so this premise was always going to be a winner for me.
A big change this time around is the absence of big AHS names. No Sarah Paulson, no Evan Peters, no Kathy Bates. Their presence is certainly missed in some sort of capacity, but the cast we have do a solid job at carrying the season. Emma Roberts and Billie Lourd take centre stage here, and are both great. We also see some familiar faces in Leslie Grossman, Cody Fern, John Carroll Lynch, Finn Wittrock, Leslie Jordan, Lily Rabe, and Dylan McDermott, so it still has that signature AHS feel. A couple of newcomers are introduced as well - Matthew Morrison and Gus Kenworthy are both hilarious. Zach Villa plays real life serial killer Richard Ramirez (who briefly appeared all the way back in Hotel) and the guy is genuinely menacing. If another season of Twin Peaks ever gets made - he's a dead ringer for Killer Bob.
One of the highlights is "villain" Mr. Jingles (John Carroll Lynch). He's such a finely crafted character, that he honestly deserves to stand next to the Jason and Freddy's of the slasher world.
The story is pretty fun. Mixing 80s campy horror with more familiar AHS elements (such as ghosts not being able to leave the place they died etc) and is pretty engaging for the most part. It gets a little convoluted near the end, and lacks the depth that seasons such as Asylum and Roanoke gave, but it's forgiveable considering the quality of everything else.
As a final thought - the synthwave version of the theme tune is fucking awesome.
Sin City (2005)
7.5
Rate It
Movie Watch
Sin City (also known as Frank Miller's Sin City)[3] is a 2005 American neo-noir crime anthology film...
Sin City Frank Miller Robert Rodriguez Comic book
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Killer You Know in Books
May 22, 2019
I'll murder three strangers. And you'll know it was me . . .
Summer 1997. When Will jokes about becoming a serial killer, his friends just laugh it off. But Adeline can't help but feel there's something darker lurking behind his words.
Winter 2015: Years later, Adeline returns to Blythe for a reunion of the old gang - except Will doesn't show up. Reminiscing about old times, they look up the details of his supposed murder spree. But the mood soon changes when they discover two recent deaths that match.
As the group attempts to track Will down, they realise that he is playing a sinister game that harks back to one they used to play as kids.
Only this time there are lives at stake . . .
Excellent début novel from this author!
I found this to be a very interesting storyline.
We are set in the present day but flashback to the late 90's.
We have the friend meeting for the reunion but 1 missing and this is where the twists and turns abound.
There is a wonderful mix of nostalgia with thrilling suspense.
Wonderful plot/storyline which is well written.
Loved the characters and were developed well.
Can't wait to see what this author brings us next.
Recommend reading!
Many thanks to Redhook Books, Netgalley, and S. R. Masters for allowing me to read this book; this is my honest voluntary review.
Summer 1997. When Will jokes about becoming a serial killer, his friends just laugh it off. But Adeline can't help but feel there's something darker lurking behind his words.
Winter 2015: Years later, Adeline returns to Blythe for a reunion of the old gang - except Will doesn't show up. Reminiscing about old times, they look up the details of his supposed murder spree. But the mood soon changes when they discover two recent deaths that match.
As the group attempts to track Will down, they realise that he is playing a sinister game that harks back to one they used to play as kids.
Only this time there are lives at stake . . .
Excellent début novel from this author!
I found this to be a very interesting storyline.
We are set in the present day but flashback to the late 90's.
We have the friend meeting for the reunion but 1 missing and this is where the twists and turns abound.
There is a wonderful mix of nostalgia with thrilling suspense.
Wonderful plot/storyline which is well written.
Loved the characters and were developed well.
Can't wait to see what this author brings us next.
Recommend reading!
Many thanks to Redhook Books, Netgalley, and S. R. Masters for allowing me to read this book; this is my honest voluntary review.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Eeny Meeny (Helen Grace, #1) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
***NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
Detective Helen Grace is lead investigator in what at first seems to be a single unusual murder case, but turns out to be only the first strike by an deranged serial killer. Two victims at a time are kidnapped and locked up with no food or water. They are left with a gun and a message. When one of them is dead, the other will be set free.
Eeny Meeny is a very fast-paced police procedural / thriller story. The characters are not very likable, even the good guys, and that usually would have made me dislike the book. I found it to be very well-written and suspenseful though, and couldn't put it down. The chapters are very short, sometimes as little as two pages, and move between points of view. In another story this might have felt jarring or confusing, but in this case it only added to the tension. I was a little too disturbed by some of the details regarding what the captives went through, as well as with some of the characters personal lives, or I would have rated this higher.
If you enjoy edgy, suspenseful thrillers and don't mind some gruesome details, give this one a read.
Warnings: some descriptions of sex, torture and violence, abuse
Detective Helen Grace is lead investigator in what at first seems to be a single unusual murder case, but turns out to be only the first strike by an deranged serial killer. Two victims at a time are kidnapped and locked up with no food or water. They are left with a gun and a message. When one of them is dead, the other will be set free.
Eeny Meeny is a very fast-paced police procedural / thriller story. The characters are not very likable, even the good guys, and that usually would have made me dislike the book. I found it to be very well-written and suspenseful though, and couldn't put it down. The chapters are very short, sometimes as little as two pages, and move between points of view. In another story this might have felt jarring or confusing, but in this case it only added to the tension. I was a little too disturbed by some of the details regarding what the captives went through, as well as with some of the characters personal lives, or I would have rated this higher.
If you enjoy edgy, suspenseful thrillers and don't mind some gruesome details, give this one a read.
Warnings: some descriptions of sex, torture and violence, abuse
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated Closer Than You Think (The Cincinnati Series) in Books
Dec 22, 2019
Different is good
Dr Faith Corcoran, therapist to sex offenders and rapists is on the run. She has changed her identity and moved from Florida to Ohio to escape the man that has been stalking her for years.
En route to her new home, she discovers a woman, naked in the road, in need of help.
Help arrives in the form of Deacon Novak. A mysteriously handsome, white haired man, with unusual eyes, and a long leather coat.
Deacon and Faith share instant chemistry, and D can’t help but feel the urge to protect her. Especially when the naked stranger utters Faiths name.
Unfortunately for Faith, her new home is a playground for a serial killer hellbent on getting rid of Faith, and now Deacon, and all they care about.
Faith and Deacon have to learn to trust each other if they are going to survive, and save his hostages.
Reading this I was gripped from the start, and then caught up in the twists and turns that Rose weaves into the plot line. The characters are really likeable, and you can’t help but feel some of the turmoil they are going through to stay safe. Its longer than my normal reads, but I didn’t let this put me off, not that it was a hardship! I had more difficulty trying to put it down.
En route to her new home, she discovers a woman, naked in the road, in need of help.
Help arrives in the form of Deacon Novak. A mysteriously handsome, white haired man, with unusual eyes, and a long leather coat.
Deacon and Faith share instant chemistry, and D can’t help but feel the urge to protect her. Especially when the naked stranger utters Faiths name.
Unfortunately for Faith, her new home is a playground for a serial killer hellbent on getting rid of Faith, and now Deacon, and all they care about.
Faith and Deacon have to learn to trust each other if they are going to survive, and save his hostages.
Reading this I was gripped from the start, and then caught up in the twists and turns that Rose weaves into the plot line. The characters are really likeable, and you can’t help but feel some of the turmoil they are going through to stay safe. Its longer than my normal reads, but I didn’t let this put me off, not that it was a hardship! I had more difficulty trying to put it down.
Martin Clunes - the Biography
Stafford Hildred and Tim Ewbank
7.0
Rate It
Book
Martin Clunes has been a familiar face on British television for almost two decades. During that...
Doc Martin Men Behaving Badly
Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Casebook
8.0
Rate It
Book
The case of Jack the Ripper and his savage serial killing and horrendous mutilation of five women in...