movie: John Dies in the End
starring: Rob Mayes, Chase Williamson
genre: Comedy, Sci-fi
year: 2012
format: Shaw Video On Demand
plot: Two druggies find themselves fighting alien zombies after taking a hit of a parasitic drug that opens not just their minds, but the doorways to other worlds.
When I saw this title, I had to see this film.
Originally a webstory turned novel, this story covers pretty much everything. Anything that has captured the attention of sci-fi fans and detective stories for generations is here. The title is misleading as far as the movie goes - I have not read the book - as John doesn't actually die in the end as much as the beginning.
If you've been reading my stuff much at all over the years, you've seen me say a million times over that I don't care for zombie stuff, but this has such a different take on the topic that I forgot after a few minutes that it fell into that category.
I loved the touches of H.P. Lovecraft in this, with the portal jumping creature and the hallucinations. You're never truly sure what you are seeing.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Year 3 Day 13
movie: Christmas in Conway
starring: Andy Garcia, Riley Smith
genre: Drama
year: 2013
format: TV
plot: A grieving husband decides that he's going to build a ferris wheel in the backyard, so that his wife who is dying of cancer can have one more great memory.
Okay, so not what I was expecting when I read the title of the film. This is not a christmas movie, but a real heartfelt story that just happens to be happening at christmas. The casting was perfect, the plot clear, the acting really believable.
I had a difficult time not crying with this one. It is a made for tv movie from Hallmark.
What did I think I learned? This is all about forgiveness. Forgiving each other and ourselves. The story revolves around the character Duncan and a guy from their past who once stole from them. The two have to learn to accept each other and their own pasts in order to work together.
starring: Andy Garcia, Riley Smith
genre: Drama
year: 2013
format: TV
plot: A grieving husband decides that he's going to build a ferris wheel in the backyard, so that his wife who is dying of cancer can have one more great memory.
Okay, so not what I was expecting when I read the title of the film. This is not a christmas movie, but a real heartfelt story that just happens to be happening at christmas. The casting was perfect, the plot clear, the acting really believable.
I had a difficult time not crying with this one. It is a made for tv movie from Hallmark.
What did I think I learned? This is all about forgiveness. Forgiving each other and ourselves. The story revolves around the character Duncan and a guy from their past who once stole from them. The two have to learn to accept each other and their own pasts in order to work together.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Year 3 Day 12
movie:Wall street 2 Money Never Sleeps
starring: Shia LaBeouf, Michael Douglas
genre: Drama
year: 2010
format: TV Edit
plot:
Over 20 years has passed since a major wall street trader was put in prison. Years later, his daughter is about to marry a young up and coming trader, who idolizes her father. Soon, the young couple find themselves in the middle of a revenge plot that takes down everything and everyone they love.
I found that the first hour of this was hard to follow, and chalk that up to it being edited to pieces.
Can't say I liked it, can't say I didn't either. Another movie that got lukewarm feelings from me. This is about redemption, revenge, and sorting out priorities.
What did I learn from this? Nothing.
starring: Shia LaBeouf, Michael Douglas
genre: Drama
year: 2010
format: TV Edit
plot:
Over 20 years has passed since a major wall street trader was put in prison. Years later, his daughter is about to marry a young up and coming trader, who idolizes her father. Soon, the young couple find themselves in the middle of a revenge plot that takes down everything and everyone they love.
I found that the first hour of this was hard to follow, and chalk that up to it being edited to pieces.
Can't say I liked it, can't say I didn't either. Another movie that got lukewarm feelings from me. This is about redemption, revenge, and sorting out priorities.
What did I learn from this? Nothing.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Year 3 Day 11
movie: Curse of Chucky
starring: Brad Dourif, Chantal Quesnel
genre: Horror
year:2013
format: Shaw Video On Demand
plot: 25 years after the first wave of attacks, the possessed doll is delivered to another family, and as each murder happens, we learn a new piece of the puzzle involving the man who's soul sits in the doll.
This is a great way to re-establish the Child's Play films. It takes you back to the feel of the original film, giving way to paranoia and fear. The fact 90% of this film takes place in the course of one night, helps to elevate the feeling of isolation and abandonment.
It's downright creepy, proving that what made the series of films so great to begin with is still terrifying. And the idea that a soul not only is more valuable then we give it credit for in the modern age, but that our obsessions will outweigh our rational self.
What do I think I learned? Never take anything for face value, and always be careful who you trust. And when a kid tells you the creepy doll moved/talked pay attention and run the hell away fast.
starring: Brad Dourif, Chantal Quesnel
genre: Horror
year:2013
format: Shaw Video On Demand
plot: 25 years after the first wave of attacks, the possessed doll is delivered to another family, and as each murder happens, we learn a new piece of the puzzle involving the man who's soul sits in the doll.
This is a great way to re-establish the Child's Play films. It takes you back to the feel of the original film, giving way to paranoia and fear. The fact 90% of this film takes place in the course of one night, helps to elevate the feeling of isolation and abandonment.
It's downright creepy, proving that what made the series of films so great to begin with is still terrifying. And the idea that a soul not only is more valuable then we give it credit for in the modern age, but that our obsessions will outweigh our rational self.
What do I think I learned? Never take anything for face value, and always be careful who you trust. And when a kid tells you the creepy doll moved/talked pay attention and run the hell away fast.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Year 3 Day 10
movie: A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas
starring: John Cho, Kal Penn
genre: Comedy
year: 2011
format: Online Netflix Canada
plot: After their lives have gone in different directions, two best friends find themselves together for Christmas because of a surprise package that is delivered to the wrong house. They soon discover it to be a giant joint and proceed to smoke it. In the process, they destroy the family christmas tree and in an attempt to find a new one, get caught up in a crazy chain of events.
I think I might have gotten hooked on the characters in the first movie, and the second I saw this was available to watch, had to see it. The two actors make an excellent comedy duo, that hasn't been around since Abbott and Costello or Cheech and Chong.
I can't say much about the 3D part, as it was on Netflix and presented in the plan 2D version. But you could tell some of the jokes were set up to only work in 3D. Like the coworker getting egged.
The addition of Danny Trejo as the disapproving father-in-law was a brilliant piece of casting. You rarely think of him doing comedic pieces, but putting him against type was a great casting choice.
What did I learn from this? Uh...er...dude... I still hate christmas
starring: John Cho, Kal Penn
genre: Comedy
year: 2011
format: Online Netflix Canada
plot: After their lives have gone in different directions, two best friends find themselves together for Christmas because of a surprise package that is delivered to the wrong house. They soon discover it to be a giant joint and proceed to smoke it. In the process, they destroy the family christmas tree and in an attempt to find a new one, get caught up in a crazy chain of events.
I think I might have gotten hooked on the characters in the first movie, and the second I saw this was available to watch, had to see it. The two actors make an excellent comedy duo, that hasn't been around since Abbott and Costello or Cheech and Chong.
I can't say much about the 3D part, as it was on Netflix and presented in the plan 2D version. But you could tell some of the jokes were set up to only work in 3D. Like the coworker getting egged.
The addition of Danny Trejo as the disapproving father-in-law was a brilliant piece of casting. You rarely think of him doing comedic pieces, but putting him against type was a great casting choice.
What did I learn from this? Uh...er...dude... I still hate christmas
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
The Nosferatu Adventures S3 p35
The Nosferatu Adventures
page 94, chapter 94
2000...
"Hang on Roo. Didn't you say that you when you were born you needed cpr? That you became a werewolf because you were technically dead?" our heroine asked as she made sure his hair was even. Young Reuben moved from her, a puzzled look on his face.
"What are you talking about?" he scratched at his stomach.
"The day we were going to the docks when I met Harker...which you don't know about yet cause it's way off in the... okay, the you I know, and it's going to sound insane telling the you that you are now; but the you I know was helping me get through a tough situation and told me about his past...er your past...er when you were a teenager, and the conversation went to being a born werewolf vs being a bitten one and...you said you were born a wolf but not really." the female stuck her tongue out as she closed her eyes breathing deeply. "That was a mouthful."
He continued to look at her like she had just hatched into a duck, pulling away from her slightly, young Reuben took a half step backward. "I just told you that I didn't really know my family because they died when I was five."
"Oh crap. I think I might have just told you something that you haven't learned yet." Young Reuben continued to move backwards till he found himself at the end of the walkway, and headed away from the house. As he did, our heroine jumped up and ran back into the house, panicking. "He said that us ending up in the past wouldn't change anything in the future, is he right?" she asked Grandmother, gesturing wildly towards the Seer who was sitting with a large plate of food in front of him.
"That would depend on how much personal impact you have on others." Grandmother replied.
The female threw her head back, her hands slapping against her thighs in frustration as she let out a sound that was very close to a roar. "Great, I think I just ruined Reuben's life."
"That very handsome young shapeshifter I just saw you with?" her hand automatically going to her own hair as her eyes flashed. "Why, what did you do?"
"Oh nothing, just told him something about his past that as it would seem he hasn't learned about yet. So he thinks I'm some sort of insane person." our heroine said flinging herself into the nearest chair.
"Cheesecake?" the Seer mumbled as he pushed a piece of cherry cheesecake towards her.
"Oh that could be a problem." Grandmother smiled then as she held up the book. "On the bright side, I just finished recopying the missing pages so you can create another portal."
"And what if it doesn't work?" Nosferatu asked, slamming her hand on the kitchen table as she grabbed a fork. "Twice now I've tried to get home, and twice I've ended up still mixed in with everyone." she swung the fork around before digging into the cheesecake. "Okay recipe now."
"Yes, Edward was telling me about your adventures." Grandmother's voice took on a soft sing song as she tilted her head towards the seer. "Have you thought that the reasons you haven't been successful at getting home, is because you're not suppose to?" she shrugged flipping pages in the spell book. "I mean, Edward was telling me that your first attempt landed you back in... Dagan is it?" our heroine nodded.
"Seriously, what's in this nutmeg?"
"Landed you back in Dagan's childhood home, and this time you were shot back into the past when he became a werewolf. Maybe you're just not suppose to be separated from him."
"Dagan and me connected forever...oh god." she rolled her eyes slouching her shoulders. "Forget a ball and chain, it's more like crypt and chain."
"The crypt I found you in?" Grandmother asked. Both the Seer and our heroine nodded. "And you tried to get home both times by way of the crypt?" again they both nodded. "Well, that's your problem. The crypt must be connected to Dagan's family somehow?"
"What like a Frankenstein boomerang?"
Grandmother closed her eyes, her hand now at her throat. "That's his last name?" she got up moving around to the book shelf, her finger tracing the spines on the volumes. Grabbing a large leather bound book that was faded, she began to flip through it. "Of course!" she moved then towards the kitchen table, placing the book on it. "I should have known, your hair. Well it was staring me right in the face." she raised her hand palm flat towards the female. "Pardon the pun, but, there was a member of my coven, decades ago who had married into that family. Told the rest of us that the family was cursed, haunted even. Course none of us believed her, thought she was a raving lunatic always talking about how the family were trapped and doomed because of some long ago spell..." Grandmother waved her hand as if dismissing the whole thing. "The coven's history is in this volume here...ah! Here." her face lit up when she found the page."I thought her story was interesting so I wrote it down. But, she claimed that there had been a young bride who found her husband cheating on her, and preformed a very powerful blood spell that would bind all the males in the family to their future wives, keeping them completely faithful. She then committed suicide from the grief, and they put her body in the crypt."
"Okay, I'm so not following this. I must be really stupid." our heroine said.
"I'm not finished." Grandmother raised an eyebrow, her tone taking on a scolding to it. "Every generation since, any female who marries into the family has been unable to break ties with their husbands."
"Yeah, still not seeing how this fits with my situation."
"The portal you tried to open, in side the crypt brought you back to your...Dagan. And the time before that, you were taken to the castle."
"The first time, I was kidnapped. By a large bat like thing. Sort of a servant of Dagan's uncle...who was just waiting there in the crypt. Okay. So we pick another spot to open the portal, something far far away from the remains of Dagan's ancestor."
tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Yeah, my curse sounds really lame even to me)
page 94, chapter 94
2000...
"Hang on Roo. Didn't you say that you when you were born you needed cpr? That you became a werewolf because you were technically dead?" our heroine asked as she made sure his hair was even. Young Reuben moved from her, a puzzled look on his face.
"What are you talking about?" he scratched at his stomach.
"The day we were going to the docks when I met Harker...which you don't know about yet cause it's way off in the... okay, the you I know, and it's going to sound insane telling the you that you are now; but the you I know was helping me get through a tough situation and told me about his past...er your past...er when you were a teenager, and the conversation went to being a born werewolf vs being a bitten one and...you said you were born a wolf but not really." the female stuck her tongue out as she closed her eyes breathing deeply. "That was a mouthful."
He continued to look at her like she had just hatched into a duck, pulling away from her slightly, young Reuben took a half step backward. "I just told you that I didn't really know my family because they died when I was five."
"Oh crap. I think I might have just told you something that you haven't learned yet." Young Reuben continued to move backwards till he found himself at the end of the walkway, and headed away from the house. As he did, our heroine jumped up and ran back into the house, panicking. "He said that us ending up in the past wouldn't change anything in the future, is he right?" she asked Grandmother, gesturing wildly towards the Seer who was sitting with a large plate of food in front of him.
"That would depend on how much personal impact you have on others." Grandmother replied.
The female threw her head back, her hands slapping against her thighs in frustration as she let out a sound that was very close to a roar. "Great, I think I just ruined Reuben's life."
"That very handsome young shapeshifter I just saw you with?" her hand automatically going to her own hair as her eyes flashed. "Why, what did you do?"
"Oh nothing, just told him something about his past that as it would seem he hasn't learned about yet. So he thinks I'm some sort of insane person." our heroine said flinging herself into the nearest chair.
"Cheesecake?" the Seer mumbled as he pushed a piece of cherry cheesecake towards her.
"Oh that could be a problem." Grandmother smiled then as she held up the book. "On the bright side, I just finished recopying the missing pages so you can create another portal."
"And what if it doesn't work?" Nosferatu asked, slamming her hand on the kitchen table as she grabbed a fork. "Twice now I've tried to get home, and twice I've ended up still mixed in with everyone." she swung the fork around before digging into the cheesecake. "Okay recipe now."
"Yes, Edward was telling me about your adventures." Grandmother's voice took on a soft sing song as she tilted her head towards the seer. "Have you thought that the reasons you haven't been successful at getting home, is because you're not suppose to?" she shrugged flipping pages in the spell book. "I mean, Edward was telling me that your first attempt landed you back in... Dagan is it?" our heroine nodded.
"Seriously, what's in this nutmeg?"
"Landed you back in Dagan's childhood home, and this time you were shot back into the past when he became a werewolf. Maybe you're just not suppose to be separated from him."
"Dagan and me connected forever...oh god." she rolled her eyes slouching her shoulders. "Forget a ball and chain, it's more like crypt and chain."
"The crypt I found you in?" Grandmother asked. Both the Seer and our heroine nodded. "And you tried to get home both times by way of the crypt?" again they both nodded. "Well, that's your problem. The crypt must be connected to Dagan's family somehow?"
"What like a Frankenstein boomerang?"
Grandmother closed her eyes, her hand now at her throat. "That's his last name?" she got up moving around to the book shelf, her finger tracing the spines on the volumes. Grabbing a large leather bound book that was faded, she began to flip through it. "Of course!" she moved then towards the kitchen table, placing the book on it. "I should have known, your hair. Well it was staring me right in the face." she raised her hand palm flat towards the female. "Pardon the pun, but, there was a member of my coven, decades ago who had married into that family. Told the rest of us that the family was cursed, haunted even. Course none of us believed her, thought she was a raving lunatic always talking about how the family were trapped and doomed because of some long ago spell..." Grandmother waved her hand as if dismissing the whole thing. "The coven's history is in this volume here...ah! Here." her face lit up when she found the page."I thought her story was interesting so I wrote it down. But, she claimed that there had been a young bride who found her husband cheating on her, and preformed a very powerful blood spell that would bind all the males in the family to their future wives, keeping them completely faithful. She then committed suicide from the grief, and they put her body in the crypt."
"Okay, I'm so not following this. I must be really stupid." our heroine said.
"I'm not finished." Grandmother raised an eyebrow, her tone taking on a scolding to it. "Every generation since, any female who marries into the family has been unable to break ties with their husbands."
"Yeah, still not seeing how this fits with my situation."
"The portal you tried to open, in side the crypt brought you back to your...Dagan. And the time before that, you were taken to the castle."
"The first time, I was kidnapped. By a large bat like thing. Sort of a servant of Dagan's uncle...who was just waiting there in the crypt. Okay. So we pick another spot to open the portal, something far far away from the remains of Dagan's ancestor."
tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Yeah, my curse sounds really lame even to me)
The Nosferatu Adventures S3 p34
The Nosferatu Adventures
page 93, chapter 93
2000...
Our heroine ran into the house and straight to the book they had brought with them. She flipped through it till she found where the missing pages had been ripped out. She then asked Grandmother if there was anyway to repair the book?
"Magically you mean?" Grandmother asked nodding, picking up her version of it. "Yes. But if it's pages that I have now, it would be just as easy and better off in the long run to just recopy them."
"Okay, do you have time to do that? We need to get going as soon as possible." our heroine said, her slim pale fingers suddenly at her forehead as she began to fidget.
"I thought you two were needing a few days? To regroup." Grandmother replied, a look of disappointment on her face.
"I don't think we have the luxury anymore." the female said looking over her shoulder at the male standing on the front steps. Young Reuben walked into the doorway, his hands in his back pockets, his hair a tangled mess.
Meanwhile...
2013...
Reuben paced around in circles as he told the others what had happened. Rolf just sat there, a look of amusement in his sparkling eyes, a smile wide adding deep laugh lines to his face. "You're saying that you were fed off of by an invisible attacker?"
"Raped by a ghost. Wasn't that a thing in the middle ages?" Dagan added, a smile on his own face showing off his dimples. "An excuse the religious freaks used to cover up stuff?"
"Yeah, it was. Incubus and succubus attacks. Real things actually." Rolf added still laughing.
"Come on guys! This is serious." Reuben screamed, flicking his hair around like a child having a tantrum.
"Oh come on." Rolf continued, gesturing to his friend. "You really want us to believe that you were...okay man, if you believe it then I guess I will too." the large male could not stop the mad fit of laughter that ripped from him then. "Believe in the succubus."
Reuben stopped pacing suddenly, his hands in his hair. "Where are the scissors?" he asked mindlessly. Turning around in a full circle, he spotted a picnic basket that had some sewing items in it that the old witch had sitting on a shelf. Walking over he removed a pair of scissors.
"What do you need them for?" Dagan asked.
"My hair stupid." he said matter of factly as he chopped off a handful of it.
Meanwhile...
2000...
"Tell me again, how did you manage to get sap stuck in your hair?" our heroine asked the young werewolf as she sat down beside him on the front steps of Grandmother's house.
"I was in wolf form chasing rabbits. Got distracted, ran right into the guy collecting sap for maple syrup." he commented. "Hey!" he pulled away from her as she tried to separate the clump of sticky knotted hair.
"Rabbit. Some things never change." letting out a deep sigh she dropped her hands to his shoulders. "Okay Roo, this is just too much of a mess, washing it didn't help and it's not untangling. I've got to cut it out. This won't affect your fur when you turn will it?" he shook his head mumbling no. "Okay, I really wish I had a camera for this cause you with about three inches off your hair...priceless." she went back into the house and got a pair of scissors, sitting back down beside the young werewolf.
"What?" young Reuben asked, his chocolate brown eyes filled with mischief.
"This. You. The Reuben that I have gotten to know, is a wolf through and through. Sleep in the darkest part of the forest, hunting, difficult to domesticate to say the lest. Which makes me wonder, where's your family?"
"What do you mean?" young Reuben asked as he involuntarily pulled from her again as she began cutting.
"Born lycanthropes are usually born in litters of three. Twins at the very lest. In the time I've gotten to know you, the other you...you've never once talked about brothers. So what's up with your family?"
"Don't really remember them." he shrugged turning his upper body to look at her over his shoulder. "I was told they died in a fire when I was five."
Meanwhile...
2013...
Reuben whimpered as he jumped onto the sofa, sinking down into it as Dagan ripped the scissors out of his hand. "I think I miss her. The family we were starting to really create here since she...I ever tell you Rolf how much I envy you and your brothers?"
"Okay you're stoned." Dagan said squaring his jaw pointing the scissors at Reuben. "Come on! We've got more important things to deal with like the timber wolves. Time to go see Ash."
tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Reuben with short hair. Scary.)
page 93, chapter 93
2000...
Our heroine ran into the house and straight to the book they had brought with them. She flipped through it till she found where the missing pages had been ripped out. She then asked Grandmother if there was anyway to repair the book?
"Magically you mean?" Grandmother asked nodding, picking up her version of it. "Yes. But if it's pages that I have now, it would be just as easy and better off in the long run to just recopy them."
"Okay, do you have time to do that? We need to get going as soon as possible." our heroine said, her slim pale fingers suddenly at her forehead as she began to fidget.
"I thought you two were needing a few days? To regroup." Grandmother replied, a look of disappointment on her face.
"I don't think we have the luxury anymore." the female said looking over her shoulder at the male standing on the front steps. Young Reuben walked into the doorway, his hands in his back pockets, his hair a tangled mess.
Meanwhile...
2013...
Reuben paced around in circles as he told the others what had happened. Rolf just sat there, a look of amusement in his sparkling eyes, a smile wide adding deep laugh lines to his face. "You're saying that you were fed off of by an invisible attacker?"
"Raped by a ghost. Wasn't that a thing in the middle ages?" Dagan added, a smile on his own face showing off his dimples. "An excuse the religious freaks used to cover up stuff?"
"Yeah, it was. Incubus and succubus attacks. Real things actually." Rolf added still laughing.
"Come on guys! This is serious." Reuben screamed, flicking his hair around like a child having a tantrum.
"Oh come on." Rolf continued, gesturing to his friend. "You really want us to believe that you were...okay man, if you believe it then I guess I will too." the large male could not stop the mad fit of laughter that ripped from him then. "Believe in the succubus."
Reuben stopped pacing suddenly, his hands in his hair. "Where are the scissors?" he asked mindlessly. Turning around in a full circle, he spotted a picnic basket that had some sewing items in it that the old witch had sitting on a shelf. Walking over he removed a pair of scissors.
"What do you need them for?" Dagan asked.
"My hair stupid." he said matter of factly as he chopped off a handful of it.
Meanwhile...
2000...
"Tell me again, how did you manage to get sap stuck in your hair?" our heroine asked the young werewolf as she sat down beside him on the front steps of Grandmother's house.
"I was in wolf form chasing rabbits. Got distracted, ran right into the guy collecting sap for maple syrup." he commented. "Hey!" he pulled away from her as she tried to separate the clump of sticky knotted hair.
"Rabbit. Some things never change." letting out a deep sigh she dropped her hands to his shoulders. "Okay Roo, this is just too much of a mess, washing it didn't help and it's not untangling. I've got to cut it out. This won't affect your fur when you turn will it?" he shook his head mumbling no. "Okay, I really wish I had a camera for this cause you with about three inches off your hair...priceless." she went back into the house and got a pair of scissors, sitting back down beside the young werewolf.
"What?" young Reuben asked, his chocolate brown eyes filled with mischief.
"This. You. The Reuben that I have gotten to know, is a wolf through and through. Sleep in the darkest part of the forest, hunting, difficult to domesticate to say the lest. Which makes me wonder, where's your family?"
"What do you mean?" young Reuben asked as he involuntarily pulled from her again as she began cutting.
"Born lycanthropes are usually born in litters of three. Twins at the very lest. In the time I've gotten to know you, the other you...you've never once talked about brothers. So what's up with your family?"
"Don't really remember them." he shrugged turning his upper body to look at her over his shoulder. "I was told they died in a fire when I was five."
Meanwhile...
2013...
Reuben whimpered as he jumped onto the sofa, sinking down into it as Dagan ripped the scissors out of his hand. "I think I miss her. The family we were starting to really create here since she...I ever tell you Rolf how much I envy you and your brothers?"
"Okay you're stoned." Dagan said squaring his jaw pointing the scissors at Reuben. "Come on! We've got more important things to deal with like the timber wolves. Time to go see Ash."
tune in again for another installment of the Nosferatu Adventures starring your heroine...me (straight up story. Reuben with short hair. Scary.)
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