Category: Reviews

Film Review: SILENT HILL REVELATION

11/7/2012

I typically keep my thoughts to myself when I feel a work rates below three stars; however, given the hack job the filmmakers did with Silent Hill: Revelation, I believe it is my duty to share this review.

I had high hopes for this movie, especially given the relatively good job filmmakers did with the film adaptation of the original Silent Hill, so it is with great disappointment that I write this. Anyone who is a fan of the Konami series has likely anticipated a film adaptation of Silent Hill 3, arguably the best game among the group. For those who have not played Silent Hill 3, here's the intro:

The premise is similar: "Heather" finds herself between reality and the hellish manifestations of Silent Hill, which draws her to the haunted town in her desire to end the nightmares. Unfortunately, that is where the similarities in story line end.

The cinematography is good, and much of the set design captures the feel of the game very well, but those are the only redeeming factors I could find--try as I might.

Silent Hill: Revelation is plagued with mediocre acting, awful dialog, and a script nearly completely lacking in structure. It does no justice to the game is is based on, offering instead one pointless visual after the next--creatures and distorted people at nearly every turn--with no real solid story to hold those images together. What results is a mess of a movie, one I must regretfully rate two stars.

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Film Review: SINISTER

10/15/2012

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Fiction writer-turned true-crime writer, Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) moves his wife, Tracy (Juliet Rylance), and children Ashley (Clare Foley) and Trevor (Michael Hall D'Addario) into the home at which four family members were hanged and the only surviving child went missing. Intent on writing a novel based on the event, Ellison hopes to piece together missing elements by spending time in the home and sifting through its past.

Sinister uses many classic literary and horror elements (the family move into a new home, the whiskey-swilling author, the desperate move to reclaim a past taste of fame and success, the Boogieman in the shadows, the authority on supernatural phenomena who slowly helps to fill the missing pieces to the puzzle), but in a way that is fresh and unique. The story reveals just enough clues to tip off the audience about the true nature of the killer, while offering enough surprises to keep them guessing. It takes a lot to scare me; I started watching horror movies and reading Stephen King in adolescence, and I’m what one might call hard-edged to the genre. This movie actually made me jump a couple of times, giddy with the phenomenal use of dark visuals, sound, and surprise.

The tone is dark (great use of lighting and nighttime settings), the pacing is perfect, and the use of sound in conjunction with visuals is superb. If you’re a classic horror buff, Sinister is a must-see—and see it while it’s still in theaters, because you’ll wish you had if you wait for it to go to DVD. It’s worth the ticket price. I rate this film an enthusiastic five stars.

For more Sinister fun, check out the following experiment on the physiology of fear using Sinister as its medium:

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FRINGE: Back with a Bang

9/28/2012

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I wasn’t sure what to think when I first learned the final season of Fringe was to be set in the year 2036, with a new supporting cast and the Observers serving as the main antagonists, but after having watched the first episode, I’m excited to see where this new story arc will lead. The episode begins with an interesting teaser comprised of both nightmare and flashback that sets the tone for the rest of the hour. The opening credits, altered to match the new setting, are both timely and provocative, set in grayscale to match a colorless and bleak future. The key words represent themes of oppression versus liberty, and images of a wall of people behind a wall topped with barbed wire encasing the word “Freedom” offer a dystopian glimpse of what is to come.

The use of imagery throughout the episode creates a comparison between the Observers and the atrocities of Nazi Germany. The costumes, the tattooed humans, and military vehicles at every turn create an unmistakable effect. Moreover, the hairless Observers take on a Neo-Nazi appearance that meshes past with present, to create a future of what might be, should complacency allow the wrong people to take control. The Observer’s statement, “Resistance is futile,” represents an oppression over a broken and helpless people. Just as interesting is the black market in which “Amber Gypsies” sell frozen people as commodities, turning human beings into items both disposable and priceless.

On a character level, the back story presented between Olivia and Peter is both subtle and well done, and Olivia’s reunion with daughter Etta is heartfelt. It creates a beautiful contrast to the high level of action and fast pace seen through the majority of the rest of the episode. Walter’s role, however, proves to be the most profound, the strength of character he exhibits while interrogated by the Observer playing as a stark contrast to the crazy, erratic person he has proven himself to be in the previous seasons. Most poignant is his imagining of music while confronted with questions of which the answers mean the difference between freedom and enslavement of the human race. When asked why he chooses music to fill his thoughts, he explains the importance it has in perspective and clarity of mind. Music represents hope.

As the Observer attempts to break Walter, who suffers massive trauma in his endeavors to keep his thoughts secret, the Observer alludes to a dead Earth no longer of any use to modern humans. He explains that nothing can grow from “scorched earth,” entreating Walter to abandon all hope and give up the information asked of him. Still, Walter holds his silence, bleeding from the nose and eyes, sobbing for the future of humanity.

The final scene, which moves full circle from the teaser intro in which Etta blows dandelion seeds into the wind, shows a disoriented and broken Walter stumbling across a music CD amongst rubble. As he sits in an abandoned taxi and delights in the realization that the music still plays, he spots a single dandelion growing in the scorched earth. The scene fades out over a city in shambles—but in which hope is clearly not yet lost.

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Review: EXCUSE ME, MY BRAINS HAVE STEPPED OUT by Pandora Poikilos

9/13/2012

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This review is part of a blog tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Excuse Me, My Brains have Stepped Out is an epistolary novel written from the point of view of Anya, a woman seeking solace from her estranged father. It is never made clear where he went or why, but Anya writes regularly to him, expressing her fears and frustrations about her illness and a world of which she struggles to make sense.

Although the story lacks a cohesive structure and seems to ramble at times, it does contain gems of wisdom hidden through the rough. Being seriously ill when I read this (actually requiring my husband to read the majority of it to me), I couldn’t help but relate to much of Anya’s turmoil, although I do believe the story could have been much richer if the author had taken the time to step back and write from a less angry, more balanced perspective.

About the novel:

Anya Michaels is having the time of her life. She has the man of her dreams by her side. She has graduated at the top of her class. She has the job others were lining up for. Between late night drinks at her favourite bar and fancy dinners at the most expensive restaurants, she has a string of adoring friends. Everything changes when she hears the dreaded words, "You are sick."

Being diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, her world starts to fall apart, one piece at a time. Now dumped, her four year relationship is nothing but a memory filled with pictures, thoughts and a very broken heart. Her job becomes an even further challenge as she tries to hide her condition. Her friends suddenly have more important things to do, what is a party without a party girl? Perfect could not crumble any faster.

Soon, caught between situations, people and pieces of life that she never dreamed of planning for herself, Anya begins to wonder if her brain condition is all that bad. As she absorbs the changes in her life and realization sets in, she begins to wonder if she is the only one saying: Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out.

(20% of royalties will be donated to the National Organisation of Rare Disorders)

Excerpt:

On another occasion, when I felt I could grab brain surgery by the horns, he has gently pointed out to me, ‘Sweetheart, it is a bit naive to think that you can bounce back just like that two weeks after brain surgery when people with broken legs take longer to heal, isn’t it?’ I won’t be jumping for joy every time I hear a ‘no’ from him but I also realise that he understands me enough to have a grasp of my limitations and when to reel me in from fantasy land.

There is only so much you can control in your own life, let alone someone else’s. Let it go. We are different for a reason. I think it is important to remember that we are individuals who have fallen in love, whose peculiar differences will make for a more interesting journey. After all, you can either be a pea or a carrot. You just cannot be both. Or in the spirit of one of the most memorable lines ever, ‘You complete me’ simply be the other half.

And there you have it, Dad. Obviously we have lots more to learn, loads more to laugh about and tons more for our journey. And no, I cannot make any guarantee that this will be a journey with blue skies, sunshine and flower strewn pathways. I am certain we will have our autumn days and winter moments. There will be minor irritations on days when I write ‘cake’ and he reads ‘biscuits’ or when he goes out to do something he will call fun and I will scream recklessness.

There will be many days and ways, boys will be boys. But there will also be those numerous, uncountable moments, when he will be a man, hold me close, give me kisses of hope and show me why him, me and ‘us’ are all worth fighting for.

About the author:

International best-selling author, Pandora Poikilos has been writing for more than 10 years for various media which include newspapers, radio, television and various websites.

You can read more about Pandora Poikilos and her works at her blog and website, or connect with her through Twitter or Facebook.

Pandora Poikilos will be giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift card to one random commenter, so make sure to leave a message for your chance to win!

Happy reading!

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Novella Review: FRACTAL DESPONDENCY by Trent Zelazny

8/17/2012

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Blake has returned to his hometown after surviving profound heartache and loss, only to meet the beautiful and carefree Denise. He soon realizes he’s in over his head, following a virtual angel from Hell who will leave him once again forever changed.

FRACTAL DESPONDENCY is hands down the best work I’ve read this year. With brilliant prose that weaves a painful past with an uncertain future, the story is a bittersweet account of a young man trying to find his place in an unforgiving world. It is an absolute must-read for literary fiction fans. I rate it an enthusiastic 5 stars.

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Novelette Review: JUGULAR by Lori Lopez

8/17/2012

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Magda’s mid-life crisis is far more complicated than most. Her husband has long been deceased under the most surreal of circumstances, her only son is a monster, and she seems to be . . . getting younger? Her experience of the “change of life” is proving far different than she had expected.

The story opens beautifully, with exquisite prose and a unique premise that will draw the reader in from page one. About halfway through, it falls into a few clichés that are obviously intentional, but not quite fitting with the preceding seriousness of tone. Still, anyone familiar with Lopez’s work will appreciate the lighthearted feel that prevails throughout most the rest of the work. JUGULAR is a fun, quirky story that turns the vampire tale on its head in a way only Lopez can. I give this work 4.5 stars.

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On the Divided Readership for WORLD-MART

6/30/2012

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For as many people who have expressed that World-Mart has touched them in a positive way, just as many people have expressed anger—and even insinuated some kind of underlying political agenda—in response to the novel. Take, for example, this review:

What a load of propaganda. This book is nothing more than the authors[sic] rant/social commentary on how she hates success[sic] for a business she disagrees with, loathing of America, and her undying love for the global warming theory. I believe that she had every right to express her views in her thinly disguised “novel”, I love the 1st Amendment. I hope she is not offended when I express my 1st Amendment rights as well when I say, "TOTAL CRAP!!!!!!!!!"

While my first response must be one of respect for varying opinions—and appreciation that this reader took the time to write what is very clearly an honest review—there really is no way to relay adequately my feelings about the above personal accusations. Yes, World-Mart is a social commentary. That is what dystopian literature is all about. But I wrote this novel because I love my country and I write what I write because I feel a personal responsibility to do all I can to protect the liberty, freedom, and the enterprise I felt defined the United States throughout my childhood. Not everyone will agree that we have a problem with corporate growth and the impact that has on our government and social hierarchy. I can only hope my book will help people to raise some of those issues and get some progressive discussion going.

Another issue some readers have had has been in response to the book’s strict adherence to the classic dystopian model: government out of control + protagonists struggling against it = provocative but grim ending. One reviewer writes about World-Mart:

I can see the events of this book as really happening in our world. I truly hope they do not, but some of the events are taking place in our lives. It is, perhaps, the reality of the plot, the possibility that it is a tale of our future, that causes me to not like the story.

Well done.

Note: This is probably the most confused review I have ever tried to write! How can, "I didn't like it," and "well done" be in the same review?? That cannot make sense. But it does!

Do I recommend this book after writing the above? Yes.

This truly is the response what I was reaching for when I wrote World-Mart. I’m grateful to the above reviewer for being so honest about how the book affected him/her. On the opposite side of the coin, I can appreciate how some readers might become emotionally invested in the protagonists (despite my attempt to keep them as flat and complacent as any good Mart worker) and therefore might also find their fates disturbing.

To these people, I sincerely apologize. I’m currently writing a book with a happy ending just for you.

I really do hope you enjoyed World-Mart, but I hope it also left a painfully sour taste in your mouth. I hope it made you a little angry. I hope some of the finer plot points it haunt you. That is what a good dystopia is supposed to do. If World-Mart struck an especially harsh chord with you—if the ending left you seething, for example—to you I say good. Now what are you going to do about it to ensure it doesn’t actually come to pass?

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Novella Review: Trent Zelazny's BUTTERFLY POTION

6/13/2012

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Although it didn’t take me long to read this short but sweet work, I did have to think about the story for quite a while afterward. Perry is definitely the antihero with his alcoholism and blackouts, and the ending is fitting.

The use of stream of consciousness is artful, and I think it’s one of the aspects to this book that makes it stand out the most. The grief, the love, and the loss Perry endures are all vivid and carefully laid out. I rate this novel 4.5 stars.

Learn more about Butterfly Potion and read other reviews for it at Goodreads.

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Novella Review: Ian Woodhead’s INFECTED BODIES

6/13/2012

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Although this is the third book in its series, it is the first story I’ve read by Ian Woodhead. With that said, this book works well on its own, with a decently rounded story arc, good characters and great prose. The narration slides from gruesome to tongue-in-cheek witty, to dark and sexy with ease.

I felt that the zombies were well done. The children were very creepy, as were the scenes with the human “pets”. The ending felt a lot like slamming full-speed into a brick wall, although the Afterward helped me to be more forgiving of it. If you like zombie survival horror, you should check out this series. I give it four stars.

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Short Collection Review: SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME

5/19/2012

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This short collection includes the novella, Sudden Death Overtime, the short story, “Time Out,” and a preview of Nothing to Lose, by author Steve Vernon. For the purposes of the review, I will be including my ratings and responses to the former two, as I do not like to review partial works (but with that said, I did find the preview of Nothing to Lose an enjoyable read).

Sudden Death Overtime is a short work that begins very fluidly—almost literary in prose—and slowly transforms into a horror comedy with absurdist attributes. The story mainly follows a small group of geriatric men, far past their prime, and their response to what they come to realize, after a number of people go missing, is an encroachment of vampires in their sleepy town. Although I do have to admit I was disappointed when the style changed from lyrical to fast paced and abrupt, I still really enjoyed the read. I’m typically not a fan of absurdist stories, and I’m very critical of horror comedy, but the author pulled it off. I think a continuation of literary prose would have offered a neat juxtaposition against the backdrop that unfolded, but for what it was worth, it was a fun story and definitely a refreshing break from the onslaught of vampire tales currently going around. I rate Sudden Death Overtime a solid 4 stars.

“Time Out” is a lovely piece about childhood, nostalgia, and the changes that occur as we go from child to adult to older adult. Short but sweet, “Time Out” took me back to my own childhood and the reflections I have from the perspective of my own age. I rate this short story 4.5 stars.

Overall, this short collection will delight anyone looking for a unique jaunt through two different genres pieced together by their common themes of hockey and youth remembered. It’s a quick read, one I rate at 4.25 stars.

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Film Review: SILENT HILL REVELATION

Film Review: SINISTER

FRINGE: Back with a Bang

Review: EXCUSE ME, MY BRAINS HAVE STEPPED OUT by Pandora Poikilos

Novella Review: FRACTAL DESPONDENCY by Trent Zelazny

Novelette Review: JUGULAR by Lori Lopez

On the Divided Readership for WORLD-MART

Novella Review: Trent Zelazny's BUTTERFLY POTION

Novella Review: Ian Woodhead’s INFECTED BODIES

Short Collection Review: SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME

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