A psychologist engages a dangerous, young genius in a battle of wits -- unaware of the supernatural power the girl possesses, or that her life hangs in the balance. (IMDB)

This was an interesting and refreshing take on the telekinetic kid trope. Instead of explaining everything from the beginning, you experience and learn things when Fonda does. I was drawn in by the sense of something not being quite right from the beginning of the movie. Savannah Halliday did a wonderful job as Ellie and outshined everyone else on the cast. The rest of the actors, especially when not involved in a scene with Savannah seemed to suffer a severe lack of chemistry with each other. This made their performance feel dull in comparison.

Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆6/10

Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago. -IMDB


I came into this movie wanting nostalgia, gore, and Halloween spirit and it definitely delivered. And after suffering recent botched sequels and remakes to other childhood favorites like Independence Day and Beauty and the Beast, I found this one to be quite refreshing. It wasn't perfect, but it was a damn fine Halloween movie. 

Warning! Spoilers Ahead!


I wanna start with a compliment to the absolutely incredible music in this film. It was synth-y, it was dramatic, it was looming, it was spooky, and it fit each and every situation perfectly. I just cannot dish out enough praise for the score in this film. Another great was Michael.  Your breath halts whenever Michael Myers is on screen, and especially when he isn't. The suspense is wonderfully executed and the gore is fantastic. It was always a given that every moment with Jamie Lee Curtis would be phenomenal, yet the dynamic between Laurie and Michael is just so compelling and in the brief moments where they are both on-screen, it is epic. There are a few one-liners where the film is able to make fun of itself or make an homage to the original, which I could appreciate. 

I did have a few annoyances about this film, but they are really just personal nitpicking. I grew weary quickly of all the false and predictable jump scares in the beginning. I also did not like the "twist" with the doctor in the middle. When he first rose on-screen wearing that mask, I couldn't help but laugh. It was just so comical, and not in a good way. I also felt like Laurie Strode's daughter's character was kind of a missed opportunity. I had hoped they would do more with her in the end than just a three-second "oh so, she can be a bad-ass" scene.  It just seemed to fall flat and I expected more than a single gunshot at Michael from this seemingly "raised-to-be a monster-killer" character. 

Overall, I thought it was a satisfying slasher film and it lived up to my expectations. I would recommend it to those who are a fan of the original and new audiences alike. 



Rating: 8.5/10

Penniless, Baron Frankenstein, accompanied by his eager assistant Hans, arrives at his family castle near the town of Karlstad, vowing to continue his experiments in the creation of life. (IMDB)

There are many things going on in this book, but for the most part, it works. The main focus is on Glory and how she is adjusting to her new family. After the death of her mother, her father remarried a woman named Alice who has two children from a previous marriage. After their father unexpectedly drops them off to stay with their mother for a while, Glory finds herself being forced to share a room with her stereotypically evil stepsister. On the surface, Lillith is a bully and Glorieta will do anything to protect her friends from her. On top of the drama at home, Glory is also trying to come up with a plan to convince her Tia Diosonita to allow her mother to rest in the family camposanto in time for Los Dias de los Muerto. Days of the Dead allows us to stay close by her side as she tries to navigate this rough time in her life.

One of the biggest pet peeves when it comes to books and movies is the usage of overused and incorrect stereotypes, so I was a bit annoyed when a few characters were mostly defined by them. There is also a situation that takes place in the middle of the story that, while timely, came off as a forced attempt to make the book political. Outside of those complaints, I loved this book. The amount of growth that Glory goes through from page one to the end is amazing (but still believable) and the humor, (especially between Glory and Mateo) is hilarious.

Elliot is terrified of almost everything.

From the moment he was born, his life has been governed by acute fear. The only thing that keeps his terrors in check are the pills that he takes every day.

It's Christmas Eve, there's a snowstorm and Elliot's medication is almost gone. His mum nips out to collect his prescription. She'll only be 10 minutes - but when she doesn't come back, Elliot must face his fears and try to find her. She should only be 400 meters away. It might as well be 400 miles... (Goodreads)

Enslaved by intense fear and anxiety from birth, Elliot spends the majority of his time in his bedroom at home. The only thing that keeps “the beast” living inside him under control is his “anti-fear” pill, and due to a pharmacy mix up he has found himself with only enough to last him 24 hours. Thanks to the addition of a raging snowstorm and it being the day before Christmas Eve, his situation has become exceptionally more desperate and unfortunately for Elliot, things are only going to get worse.

Brooks does a wonderful job portraying Elliot’s fear. In particular, I appreciated how well done the scene involving him leaving the house on his own for the first time was.  The back and forth panic of “I’m going” and “No, I can’t” really hit home for me. As someone who prefers to have more details when a character is suffering from mental illness, I would have liked more information on what was going on with him though. Did he never get a proper diagnosis? It is not something that is super important to the story, just something extra that would have been nice.

I found myself mildly annoyed with how short each “chapter” was. It is the kind of story that goes back and forth between two main perspectives, but the way it was done felt a bit jolting to me. Just when you get used to one point of view and character mindset, it goes back to the other. It also felt like there were far too many unnecessary details. Pretty much everyone who shows up in the story has a first and last name and enough information to give you a little detail about them. We do not need this level of detail for each police officer or each person Elliot runs into. It comes off as filler to me.

 

When an evil magma demon and his minions steal the sun of a magical world, the new guardians of both the sun and the moon must embark on a quest to retrieve it and save their world from disaster as the moon faces destruction as well. (IMDB)

Alishia:
As soon as I started playing this film I was completely blown away by the stunning and creative imagery. I think it literally made my jaw drop. After ten minutes, I was totally engrossed in the beautiful art, story, and characters. It quickly became one of my favorite animated films. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves animated films because it is just such wonderful quality.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★10/10

Sarah:
I love when animated films use more than one art style, especially when one is high detail and the other more minimalistic. Both used in Mune are absolutely stunning.  I also adored how imaginative this film was, from the characters to the world itself. Mune is a wonderful and gorgeous movie that I definitely see myself rewatching over...and over...and over again.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8.5/10

The compelling, hidden story of Cathy Williams, a former slave and the only woman to ever serve with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers.

Though born into bondage on a “miserable tobacco farm” in Little Dixie, Missouri, Cathy Williams was never allowed to consider herself a slave. According to her mother, she was a captive, bound by her noble warrior blood to escape the enemy. Her means of deliverance is Union general Phillip Henry “Smash ‘em Up” Sheridan, the outcast of West Point who takes the rawboned, prideful young woman into service. At war’s end, having tasted freedom, Cathy refuses to return to servitude and makes the monumental decision to disguise herself as a man and join the Army’s legendary Buffalo Soldiers.

Alone now in the ultimate man’s world, Cathy must fight not only for her survival and freedom, but she vows to never give up on finding her mother, her little sister, and the love of the only man strong and noble enough to win her heart. Inspired by the stunning, true story of Private Williams, this American heroine comes to vivid life in a sweeping and magnificent tale about one woman’s fight for respect and independence. (Goodreads)

This was a wonderfully written book that managed to do the impossible; make me interested in the Civil War era. The descriptions of the South (while we are there) and the way Southerners speak is done in such a believable way that I had no trouble creating an image of the events in my head. While mostly a story of survival and the darkness that still, unfortunately, plagues the United States, it does have a few moments of humor that had me legitimately laughing out loud. With that being said, I did feel a little disconnected while reading (which could be partially due to being sick at the time) and unlike the majority of the amazing stories I read, it is not sticking with me. However, I do now have a great interest in learning more about Cathy and the former slaves that served in the U.S. Military.

*I won a free ARC copy of this book from Goodreads giveaways.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5

Book Information: Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Perry Teasdale is a dreamer.

She’s not the kind of dreamer who waltzes through fields of wildflowers, twirling her skirts in a starry-eyed daze; or the kind who aspires to be the biggest rock star the world has ever known (not that she’d complain if that accidentally happened). She’s the kind of dreamer who can’t get a decent night’s rest because her sleep is flooded with scenes from other worlds—ones that seem as real as life itself.

Mind-blowing dreams may sound like loads of fun, but when they start to bleed into Perry’s waking hours—confusing the line between dream and reality, and keeping her in a sleep-deprived fog no amount of caffeine can cure—Perry’s not exactly thrilled.

Try as she might to shake the dreams from her mind, they keep gaining speed, growing ever more vivid and intense…until that hazy boundary between real and imaginary fades away, and Perry is forced to consider the impossible: Her dreams seem real because they are.

When disaster strikes, sending Perry’s newfound normalcy into a tailspin, she takes the only logical path left: a whirlwind tour of the multiverse, scouring an ever-growing assortment of alternate realities for the missing piece—the missing person—to put her life together again.

Along the way, Perry enlists the help of an ancient wise woman (who may be a tad homicidal); a nerdy-in-all-the-right-ways mathematician (who knows all of Perry’s secrets, even before introducing himself); and a sword (because you can never go wrong with a sword).

At times hilarious—at times heartbreaking—Shift is sure to be, well, one of those two things. (Goodreads)

After having increasingly vivid and exhausting dreams, Peregrine “Perry” discovers that she is a Shifter who can exist in multiple versions of reality. With the assistance of her older brother Evan and his friend Max, Perry begins to learn how to control this newly discovered ability. Then, out of nowhere, tragedy strikes and Peregrine finds herself on a journey full of adventure, pain, and, of course, love.


Perry is stubborn, full of sarcasm, and definitely has a “flair for the dramatic”. Like many female leads in YA, she just doesn’t know what she has...until she loses it. However, she still comes off as very human instead of like a stereotype. Ezra however, is the stereotypical older sibling.  He’s super overprotective of his little sister and 100% enjoys teasing her pretty much whenever the opportunity arises. The banter between the two is remarkably realistic. Max came off as a bit of a cliché to me, unfortunately. He has a weird hero complex that is constantly competing with this “I’m a nobody” mentality thing that I found annoying. Secondary characters like Aunt Jess, Nalya, and Kellen were far more interesting to me than Max was. I did adore how nerdy he was though. (also a huge fan of the different types of nerdiness that most of the characters represented) That leaves Thaelia. Oh my goodness did I enjoy her. I would absolutely read a book just from her point of view. She is equally as stubborn as Perry and seems to be the only one who matches her snarkiness. Her apathetic way of caring makes it easy to believe that she is a very old creature.

The concept of this story was what attracted me to it and I still think it is one of the more interesting ideas I have come across this year. Unfortunately, it comes off as if this main idea for the book was not fully thought out. Whenever something pops up in the story that really needs explanation, all you (and Perry) get is “It’s complicated”. This was my biggest annoyance with this book. I also was not a fan of just how fast it moved (I know, a weird, rare complaint.) The characters are never given time to breathe and fully deal with what is going on. Something important happens and we just move on. For me, this took away from the impact that these events should have had.

(Background makes more sense if you read the book.)

Regardless of the multiple annoyances and flaws, I did enjoy Shift. The end left off in a way that, yeah, could totally be a standalone or could also become a series. I was also left with many questions (most of which had to deal with Kellen and Nalya) and how Ezra’s fate impacts other realities...but I’m guessing it’s complicated.

*I received a digital ARC of this book to review.

Rating: ★★★☆☆3.5/5

Book Information: Goodreads

 

America 2151. New York. Washington. Chicago. Los Angeles. All wiped out from nuclear blasts. The New United States of America is centered in Omaha, where the Leviathan Corporation provides a muted, controlled existence for its populace. Synthetic drugs keep them sane. The people are safe - for now - from the threats on the outside. Summoned to the president's office, unlikely hero Thomas Ignatius Stout receives an extraordinary mission: Hunt down and return, dead or alive, the vicious killer responsible for destroying the lives of millions and millions of Americans, Joe Ikowski, who remains a thorn in the government's side. Tom accepts his burden and leads an expedition past Omaha's protective barrier and into the great unknown. That's when Tom's journey really begins. Taking him from Kentucky to Arizona to Mexicali and the Rocky Mountains, Tom finds far more than he is searching for - and starts to learn the deeply complicated, disturbing truths of his own identity and a world in which he had only before scratched the surface. In this poignant page-turner, a novel that blends elements of science fiction, political thrillers, and an Orwellian-style future, rising novelist AM Wilson takes readers on a wild ride inside what could become the future of the United States, if we ruin ourselves from the inside. It's a novel that will make you think, no matter what you think of America. (Goodreads)

I practically devoured this book in one sitting, which has not happened recently due to the current state of my eyes. (I really need glasses...but keep putting it off.) Populace is a wonderfully written dystopian novel that borrows elements from many of the greats (ex. Brave New World, 1984) and successfully builds upon them to create a new, yet familiar world.

*I received a digital ARC of this book to review.

Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5

Book Information: Goodreads

Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen-year-old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she's worked for. Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world. When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt's Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain. Sheets illustrates the determination of a young girl to fight, even when all parts of her world seem to be conspiring against her. (Goodreads)

Sheets is a heartwarming little ghost story with an art style that screams 90's nostalgia. Every ounce of me wants to describe Sheets as cute, but that is not the right word at all. The art style immediately caught the full attention of my eyes, which distracted me from the story a bit, and overall, I do think I enjoyed the art more than the tale that was being told. That is not to say that it was bad, it is actually very good, just that to me it felt like it was lacking something. I think that considering how much death is technically in the story, I was expecting a darker or more serious tone (because as usual, I did not check to see what genre this was from), but with the realization of it being a middle-grade book, I think the tone is just right.

I received a digital arc of this book thanks to Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley to review.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5

Book Information: Goodreads

Toru recalls his life in the 1960s, when his friend Kizuki killed himself and he grew close to Naoko, Kizuki's girlfriend, and another woman, the outgoing, lively Midori.(IMDB)

*WARNING*

This review contains minor spoilers. 

This film adaptation left me with mixed feelings. For the most part, it stuck with the story told in the book. What bothered me the most though, was how much it left out. This movie is over two hours long and instead of using that time to focus on the connection between Toru and Naoko (and Reiko), the majority of it was wasted on "filler" moments and the sex aspects of the story. Storm Trooper was almost completely eliminated and pretty much just shows up as a cameo for those who read the book. Reiko's role was shrunk immensely until the final part of the story. This film sucked out all of the emotion and heart from the book.

 

Toru, a quiet and preternaturally serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. Toru begins to adapt to campus life and the loneliness and isolation he faces there, but Naoko finds the pressures and responsibilities of life unbearable. As she retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself reaching out to others and drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.(Goodreads)

First, I just want to mention that I made the mistake of reading this and NOT writing down all my thoughts or a review until a month later. Therefore, this review is without a doubt nowhere near as detailed as it should be.

An undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.(IMDB)

Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they’ve got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had? - (Goodreads)

The octopus theme is what initially made me interested in this novel by Ann Braden and I think that aspect of the book was done really well. Zoey's way of using the creature as a source of strength is absolutely wonderful. The story gives a pretty realistic view of what it is like growing up poor and in an abusive situation...until the ending. It wasn't done nearly as bad as many others have done in the past (ex: omg just leave, so easy, now life is perfect), but the way Zoey and her family escapes is a one in a million scenario. I would not be as bothered by it if at the end of the book the author had not mentioned part of the reason for writing The Benefits of Being an Octopus was so that kids in similar situations could see themselves in books.

Don't get me wrong, hope is a wonderful thing to have, but endings like the one in this story can lead to false hope, which can be dangerous in these situations. It also leaves things in a place that feels like things are going to go in a better direction...but the realist in me (or perhaps the cynic) could not help but ponder on the new problems Zoey, her friend, and her family will now face. The likelihood that DHS is not going to end up involved is very slim. The likelihood that those kids are going to be allowed to stay in the small living space...very slim.

Outside of that little rant (sorry about that), The Benefits of Being an Octopus is actually a very good book and while I have spent the majority of the review/rant on the poverty/abuse aspects, it touches on several other very important issues like gun control (in a way that actually kind of challenged my feelings on the subject) and bullying as well.


Rating: 3.5/5

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.(IMDB)

Annihilation is a beautiful and suspenseful sci-fi/horror art film that requires multiple views in order to fully appreciate it. Many of the scenes that take place in the Shimmer look like art installations, which is great, but (for me at least), it does become a bit of a distraction. I found myself paying more attention to what was on the screen than to the story itself. It is definitely a weird little movie that is not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

Two upper-class teenage girls in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems-no matter what the cost. (IMDB)

This is a decent thriller. The majority of the film failed to draw me in, but the last half was actually very good. I really enjoyed the use of music and silence and how the film focused more on building suspense than just showing graphic violence (which it could have totally done).

Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10

A few years ago, I found a recipe on Pinterest for "healthy peanut butter cookies". Somehow, when you leave out adding any flour to them it makes them healthy. However, considering how much sugar it uses, I disagree with the "healthy" title and think moderation should definitely be used when consuming these yummy snacks.

From Academy Award (R)-nominee Hiromasa Yonebayashi - animator on Studio Ghibli masterpieces Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo, and director of When Marnie Was There and The Secret World of Arrietty - comes a dazzling new adventure about a young girl named Mary, who discovers a flower that grants magical powers, but only for one night. Mary is an ordinary young girl stuck in the country with her Great-Aunt Charlotte and seemingly no adventures or friends in sight. She follows a mysterious cat into the nearby forest, where she discovers an old broomstick and the strange Fly-by-Night flower, a rare plant that blossoms only once every seven years and only in that forest. Together the flower and the broomstick whisk Mary above the clouds, and far away to Endor College - a school of magic run by headmistress Madam Mumblechook and the brilliant Doctor Dee. But there are terrible things happening at the school, and when Mary tells a lie, she must risk her life to try to set things right. Based on Mary Stewart's 1971 classic children's book The Little Broomstick, Mary and The Witch's Flower is an action-packed film full of jaw-dropping imaginative worlds, ingenious characters, and the stirring, heartfelt story of a young girl trying to find a place in the world. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Mary and the Witch's Flower is the first full-length feature released by Studio Ponoc, a company founded by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura. This film had several former Ghibli animators working on it, so I had an idea of what to expect when it came to animation. 

Squeezed into a coat closet with his classmates and teacher, first grader Zach Taylor can hear gunshots ringing through the halls of his school. A gunman has entered the building, taking nineteen lives and irrevocably changing the very fabric of this close-knit community. While Zach's mother pursues a quest for justice against the shooter's parents, holding them responsible for their son's actions, Zach retreats into his super-secret hideout and loses himself in a world of books and art. Armed with his newfound understanding, and with the optimism and stubbornness only a child could have, Zach sets out on a captivating journey towards healing and forgiveness, determined to help the adults in his life rediscover the universal truths of love and compassion needed to pull them through their darkest hours. (Goodreads)

I do not believe I have read a book that was more heartbreaking than Only Child. I found myself with tears in my eyes the majority of the time I was reading it. The reactions are all very human and believable and the mindset of the six-year-old Zach is exactly what I would expect. While his father takes the more silent suffering approach and his mother deals with her grief by focusing all of her anger on the family of the shooter, Zach (who is also dealing with PTSD from surviving the tragedy) deals with grief by listing and separating his feelings so they are no longer "all mixed up". His approach is ultimately the most mature solution and I loved how well the author portrayed this (and how it eventually helps his parents as well). What I appreciated the most about this book though, was how it dealt with the shooter and his family. I have read many other books with this same sort of story (from a different point of view) and I am pretty sure this is the first that encouraged sympathy to all involved. Even better, this is encouraged by a child and helps his family come back together.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.5/5

Book & Author Information: Goodreads

Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to 'Sparrow School,' a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. Her first mission, targeting a C.I.A. agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations. (IMDB)

This was an "I want to watch something, but not any of the 30+ movies I have saved in my Netflix queue" movie choice. I did remember being mildly intrigued by the trailers when I first saw them, but I did not have any real expectations on if it would be good or not.