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Merissa (12919 KP) rated Expectant Moon (Gladstone Shifters #1) in Books
Jun 8, 2021
Expectant Moon is the first book in the Gladstone Shifters series and it takes you to a current world where things are changing. Here we find Evan, a Delta, and Ben, an Alpha. Their two lives are separate at the start but once they meet, fireworks explode!
I found the beginning of this book to be slightly discombobulated, simply because we shift from one time to another, with different characters being introduced each time. HOWEVER, stick with it because each of those characters and situations is incredibly important to the overall story arc.
Once this story progressed, I was completely hooked. I loved this history of how times and attitudes had changed, how ways of life were forgotten and how they really needed to be remembered. Luckily for everyone, Jack is on hand to help and Evan will make sure it continues.
There was enough steam to melt my Kindle - which I loved! You really get a two-for-one deal with this book as Jack and William are magnificently interwoven with Evan and Ben - only in the literary sense! There is also pain, hate, tenderness, love, and hope.
Really, this was an amazing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. An amazing start to a new series with intricate details and new situations giving a brilliant twist to the 'standard' MM Paranormal Romance genre.
Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I found the beginning of this book to be slightly discombobulated, simply because we shift from one time to another, with different characters being introduced each time. HOWEVER, stick with it because each of those characters and situations is incredibly important to the overall story arc.
Once this story progressed, I was completely hooked. I loved this history of how times and attitudes had changed, how ways of life were forgotten and how they really needed to be remembered. Luckily for everyone, Jack is on hand to help and Evan will make sure it continues.
There was enough steam to melt my Kindle - which I loved! You really get a two-for-one deal with this book as Jack and William are magnificently interwoven with Evan and Ben - only in the literary sense! There is also pain, hate, tenderness, love, and hope.
Really, this was an amazing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. An amazing start to a new series with intricate details and new situations giving a brilliant twist to the 'standard' MM Paranormal Romance genre.
Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) in Movies
Jul 4, 2021
That final trap is as heart-stopping and clever a piece of political commentary that's been put into any horror film this decade thus far - but the rest (I'm immeasurably disappointed to report) is a bland, run-of-the-mill police procedural which only occasionally resembles a šš¢šø movie. Don't know whose idea it was to have less gore and crappier traps but fire them immediately. I think outside of that grievous oversight the other major problem is that this tries to be both a Saw movie as well as a modern movie - way less of the 2000s scary crackhead camerawork + editing, much fewer unnerving layers of overexposed shots, and now a clean frame replaces what was once a grimy sheen of iconic dilapidation. If you want this franchise to stay ahead of the pack in a day in age where even the cheapest indie flicks can have solid gore, you can't be this polished. No cutting away from the action right as it happens, and don't be afraid to cling onto what worked during its inception just because the passage of time may have left those trends behind - with this kind of cleanliness it's too easy to see the inherent seams of these things. Also you'd have to be an idiot not to see this 'twist' coming from a mile away. But Chris Rock is awesome in the last 20 minutes when he's snapping at everybody. Without a shadow of a doubt the worst film in the series.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Saw (2004) in Movies
Jul 4, 2021
Now *this* is more like it. Cruel, grimy, and goofy in just about equal measure - I sorely underrated this deservedly revolutionary gem the first time I saw it. Uses aspects which are unfairly maligned by other horror/thriller filmmakers who claim to be 'above' them much to its advantage; you're going to sit there and tell me that sped-up series of 360 shots around the reverse bear trap wasn't totally fucking awesome? Elements like that tap so deeply into that primal survival instinct which few other films of the genre even dare to explore, let alone as well as this does. The acting gets a lot of shit but tbh Cary Elwes and - in particular - Leigh Whannell are stellar as these two clashing personalities that effortlessly carry the entire movie on their backs. The decision to play up these performances akin to a WWE episode (even confining them to a stage-like arena for weaponized melodrama) adds even further to its untouched singularity. Could you imagine the direction of Wan with the gore of the sequels? Goddamn what an A1 product that would be. Just a concoction of ideas that work beautifully together: from the memorable aesthetic to its dastardly smart premise it's about as engrossing as can be. The twist is still just as riveting as it was back then if only because of the sheer commitment to delve into such gonzo levels of outlandishness. The fact that šš±šŖš³š¢š turned this one's iconically atmospheric music into a cringe 21 Savage song tells you all you need to know about it.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Mortuary Collection (2019) in Movies
Oct 16, 2020
The Mortuary Collection is the latest in a long line of Creepshow style horror anthology films, a particular sub genre that can be hard to pull off, but director Ryan Spindell rises to the challenge pretty damn well.
The short stories presented here escalate in tone and subject as the film progresses, starting off relatively fun, but getting increasingly darker and in depth. This is something that the characters comment on between the segments, showing a nice sense of self awareness, but not going over the top with it.
Some of the later stories are hard to watch at times, and are quite emotional in places, especially the one that features actress Sarah Hay as a woman in a vegetative state. It's a genuinely sad story, topped off with some fantastic creature design. An interesting mix to say the least.
The stories are all good in their own right, but are tied together with a clever twist and a satisfying conclusion.
The main character is Montgomery Dark played by a brilliant Clancy Brown. He has a proper Phantasm/Tall Man/Angus Scrimm vibe to him (definitely no accident) and is suitably creepy as this movie's story teller.
The film is pretty damn visceral, and employs both practical effects, and decent digital effects to achieve what it does. It's all looks disgustingly awesome. It also has a great music score by Mondo Boys to compliment all the creepiness.
I was pleasantly surprised by The Mortuary Collection. It's a good time, a competent anthology film, and well worth a watch for horror fans.
The short stories presented here escalate in tone and subject as the film progresses, starting off relatively fun, but getting increasingly darker and in depth. This is something that the characters comment on between the segments, showing a nice sense of self awareness, but not going over the top with it.
Some of the later stories are hard to watch at times, and are quite emotional in places, especially the one that features actress Sarah Hay as a woman in a vegetative state. It's a genuinely sad story, topped off with some fantastic creature design. An interesting mix to say the least.
The stories are all good in their own right, but are tied together with a clever twist and a satisfying conclusion.
The main character is Montgomery Dark played by a brilliant Clancy Brown. He has a proper Phantasm/Tall Man/Angus Scrimm vibe to him (definitely no accident) and is suitably creepy as this movie's story teller.
The film is pretty damn visceral, and employs both practical effects, and decent digital effects to achieve what it does. It's all looks disgustingly awesome. It also has a great music score by Mondo Boys to compliment all the creepiness.
I was pleasantly surprised by The Mortuary Collection. It's a good time, a competent anthology film, and well worth a watch for horror fans.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Black Christmas (2019) in Movies
Dec 17, 2020
Fuck I really hated this.
Ignoring the politics side for a moment - it's a hugely poor horror film. It's devoid of any scares, it cuts away from any gore, and perhaps worst of all, it has the audacity to be called "Black Christmas" - which is quite simply one of the best slashers ever made.
Did this film even start as a Black Christmas remake? It basically goes: Men are shit - some people get killed offscreen - weird supernatural twist - oh shit, it's Black Christmas, better throw in a glass unicorn sculpture.
The supernatural part is something I'm not mad at actually - at least it tried something different rather than being a straight re tread.
Then of course, there's the aformentioned politics, which is what most people's issue is with this film. Feminist messages in horror movies can be hugely effective - the original Black Christmas does it well for example - but I can't help but feel that the message this version putting out there is severely mishandled. As a guy, I am willing to hear how I'm wrong in this instance, but it feels sooooo over the top with what it's trying to do. It's not too hard to be on board with for the most part, but the final scenes really go for it - I mean the lines "you're insane!" "No, we're just men" - really!? It just feels very in the nose to me.
Other than that, this film is turd. It gets a star for Imogen Poots and the creative snow angel death scene at the start. Watch the original instead.
Ignoring the politics side for a moment - it's a hugely poor horror film. It's devoid of any scares, it cuts away from any gore, and perhaps worst of all, it has the audacity to be called "Black Christmas" - which is quite simply one of the best slashers ever made.
Did this film even start as a Black Christmas remake? It basically goes: Men are shit - some people get killed offscreen - weird supernatural twist - oh shit, it's Black Christmas, better throw in a glass unicorn sculpture.
The supernatural part is something I'm not mad at actually - at least it tried something different rather than being a straight re tread.
Then of course, there's the aformentioned politics, which is what most people's issue is with this film. Feminist messages in horror movies can be hugely effective - the original Black Christmas does it well for example - but I can't help but feel that the message this version putting out there is severely mishandled. As a guy, I am willing to hear how I'm wrong in this instance, but it feels sooooo over the top with what it's trying to do. It's not too hard to be on board with for the most part, but the final scenes really go for it - I mean the lines "you're insane!" "No, we're just men" - really!? It just feels very in the nose to me.
Other than that, this film is turd. It gets a star for Imogen Poots and the creative snow angel death scene at the start. Watch the original instead.
Elizabeth (1521 KP) rated Split (2016) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I didn't realize this was an M. Night Shyamalan film when I watched it. In true M. Night Shyamalan fashion, you get a surprise twist at the end and find out that Kevin (James McAvoy) exists in the same world of hero and villain, David Dunn (Bruce Willis) and Mr. Glass ( Samuel L. Jackson) from Unbreakable.
James McAvoy had to play several different characters in this movie, as Kevin has 23 different personalities, some not so nice, and others, pure evil. A few of these personalities kidnap and hold 3 girls hostage and you watch as they learn the gravity of their situation and try to plan their escape. One of their captor's personalities is a kind and simple soul, Hedwig, that the girls try to exploit to help them escape.
All the while, Kevin is seeing a therapist to try to keep his darker personalities in check. But a new, more terrifying 24th personality begins to emerge and take over. It is this 24th personality known as the Beast that catches the attention of Dunn and Mr. Glass, along with the rest of the world. The Beast is superhuman, able to scale walls and seemingly invulnerable.
Of the 24 personalities, only a handful are fully developed characters portrayed in the movie. It could not have been an easy role, but McAvoy does it so well, that you believe the different personalities. I have long been a fan of McAvoy's and he does not disappoint in this film.
James McAvoy had to play several different characters in this movie, as Kevin has 23 different personalities, some not so nice, and others, pure evil. A few of these personalities kidnap and hold 3 girls hostage and you watch as they learn the gravity of their situation and try to plan their escape. One of their captor's personalities is a kind and simple soul, Hedwig, that the girls try to exploit to help them escape.
All the while, Kevin is seeing a therapist to try to keep his darker personalities in check. But a new, more terrifying 24th personality begins to emerge and take over. It is this 24th personality known as the Beast that catches the attention of Dunn and Mr. Glass, along with the rest of the world. The Beast is superhuman, able to scale walls and seemingly invulnerable.
Of the 24 personalities, only a handful are fully developed characters portrayed in the movie. It could not have been an easy role, but McAvoy does it so well, that you believe the different personalities. I have long been a fan of McAvoy's and he does not disappoint in this film.
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Entertaining and powerful
I was a little worried about reading this book as I was concerned about it being a little preachy, however Iām so glad that my concerns were completely unwarranted.
This is a very powerful, moving and motivational book. It promotes powerful and independent women without becoming too preachy or overpoweringly feminist, yet with a heartwarming, interesting and relatable story. There are aspects of all 3 of the main characters that I identified with, and no doubt most other women will too. Their stories and lives made me laugh and cry throughout the entire book, and I really struggled to put this down. I also thought I knew where this story was going until a major twist over two thirds of the way through completely shocked me. I never saw it coming and I loved this, along with the ending in general which didnāt play out in exactly the way youād expect. Iāve seen Dawn O Porterās documentaries in the past but wasnāt too sure what Iād make of her writing, however this is beautifully written. Sheās come up with some human, deep and maybe slightly crazy characters that are all endearing in their own ways and intertwined their stories into something immensely entertaining. Itās also made me really think about my own life and make me feel better about things that have been getting me down, and Iād really encourage any woman to read this who might be in need of a pick me up. I will definitely be reading more of Dawn O Porterās work after this.
This is a very powerful, moving and motivational book. It promotes powerful and independent women without becoming too preachy or overpoweringly feminist, yet with a heartwarming, interesting and relatable story. There are aspects of all 3 of the main characters that I identified with, and no doubt most other women will too. Their stories and lives made me laugh and cry throughout the entire book, and I really struggled to put this down. I also thought I knew where this story was going until a major twist over two thirds of the way through completely shocked me. I never saw it coming and I loved this, along with the ending in general which didnāt play out in exactly the way youād expect. Iāve seen Dawn O Porterās documentaries in the past but wasnāt too sure what Iād make of her writing, however this is beautifully written. Sheās come up with some human, deep and maybe slightly crazy characters that are all endearing in their own ways and intertwined their stories into something immensely entertaining. Itās also made me really think about my own life and make me feel better about things that have been getting me down, and Iād really encourage any woman to read this who might be in need of a pick me up. I will definitely be reading more of Dawn O Porterās work after this.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Pontypool (2009) in Movies
Jun 7, 2020
Shock Jock Grant Mazzy starts a new job as the morning DJ for the small-town radio station of Pontypool in Ontario, Canada. Struggling with the change of pace Grant and the rest of the stations staff are unprepared for the reports of rioting that start to flood into the show.
Pontypool takes āOutbreakā and āZombieā movies and adds a nice little twist. The majority of the movie is set in the confines of a small radio station and the three leads are fed information via phone calls and police broadcasts which means that they and therefore the viewer doesnāt see what is happening in the town. The film handles this restricted setting well, slowly building up the atmosphere and tension felt by the three main cast members and playing on Grantās lack of āSmall town experienceā.
Unlike a lot of zombie movies, Pontypool doesnāt have a lot of visible blood and gore, having most of the violence described instead of shown. This makes the one or two violent scenes even more meaningful as they arenāt just there for the sake of the gore but do actually add something to the atmosphere and story, this is also helped by the fact that we donāt knowingly see a zombie until past the half way point.
Pontypool is an interesting, atmospheric film that relies on story over the need for effect, not only due to any budget restrictions but also because that is what the type of story it is trying to tell.
Pontypool takes āOutbreakā and āZombieā movies and adds a nice little twist. The majority of the movie is set in the confines of a small radio station and the three leads are fed information via phone calls and police broadcasts which means that they and therefore the viewer doesnāt see what is happening in the town. The film handles this restricted setting well, slowly building up the atmosphere and tension felt by the three main cast members and playing on Grantās lack of āSmall town experienceā.
Unlike a lot of zombie movies, Pontypool doesnāt have a lot of visible blood and gore, having most of the violence described instead of shown. This makes the one or two violent scenes even more meaningful as they arenāt just there for the sake of the gore but do actually add something to the atmosphere and story, this is also helped by the fact that we donāt knowingly see a zombie until past the half way point.
Pontypool is an interesting, atmospheric film that relies on story over the need for effect, not only due to any budget restrictions but also because that is what the type of story it is trying to tell.