Skin Game

Book 15 of 15 in the Dresden Files series. Amazon describes the plot as, "Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day. Because as Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it’s something awful.

Mab has traded Harry’s skills to pay off a debt. And now he must help a group of villains led by Harry’s most despised enemy, Nicodemus Archleone, to break into a high-security vault so that they can then access a vault in the Nevernever.

Problem is, the vault belongs to Hades, Lord of the freaking Underworld. And Dresden is dead certain that Nicodemus has no intention of allowing any of his crew to survive the experience. Dresden’s always been tricky, but he’s going to have to up his backstabbing game to survive this mess.…"

As always - there are some very funny scenes and lines to help the reader not become to overwhelmed with the sadness and drama. Very well written and not a half bad plot to this. I can't wait to read the next one - I hope he writes one. All in all, I say: READ IT if you read the other 14.

Comprehensive Strategies for Middle Grade Learners

A book with a list of strategies for teachers to use to help students when they need to read text in SC, SS, MA, or LA. It's a quick read - with short explanations of a wide variety of techniques. All in all, I say: READ IT if you've been out of school awhile to help refresh your memory before the new school year begins.

Girl on the Train

It is written from the point of view of the 3 main female characters in short snippets. It's a quick read. If you pay close attention you can piece together who the killer is a little less than half way through the book. The main character, Rachel, is an alcoholic which makes piecing together the mystery difficult. The other, Anna, is Rachel's ex-husband's new wife. The last, Megan, the the murdered woman. It a decently written book. All in all, I say: READ IT first before you see the movie. If you don't plan on seeing the movie and don't care for mysteries - SKIP IT - it's not the best book ever. It's no Harry Potter.

Miranda

A BBC show that lasted for four season. Hart (Spy) stars in this half hour comedy about a social inept woman in her mid-thirties who has a crush on a friend played by Ellis (below - Lucifer). It is quit hysterical. I laugh out loud and even snorted on more than one occasion. After two seasons though the sexual tension will they won't they thing is a little much.

I like how they end each show. It's well written and acted. All in all, I say: STREAM IT on Acorn TV

Trivia

This 2 season Irish show was great in its first season. A group of four play trivia once a week at a local pub. The half hour comedy is divided into 2 parts. One part on one or more of the characters and their personal life, and one part at trivia. It was so good and had so much potential. When they came back for a second season - one of the main characters was gone, they no longer played trivia, and it just became a relationship show with nothing original. All in all, I say: SEE season 1 only on Acorn TV.

McErlean - above - was one of the main characters - he's cute.

Republic of Doyle

In it's sixth season in Newfoundland, Canada. This is an hour long comedy about a family of private detectives. The guest stars are a who's who of Canadian, Australian, and American actors. It's fun and he's is so cute.

All in all, I say: STREAM IT on Netflix, Amazon, or Acorn TV.

Mothers and Daughters

Ricci (Z: The Beginning of Everything) and Cox (Cougar Town) are one story. Stone (The 11th), Sorvino (6 Below), and an actress I'm not familiar with are another story line. Martino (Saved!), Wesley (Late Bloomer), and Sarandon (Spark) are one story. Around each story is Blair (Geezer) a photographer. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. It looks and feels like an independent film. All in all, I say: STREAM IT on Directv On-Demand if it's the kind of thing you like.

Deadpool

Reynolds (Deadpool 2) is in this X-men world superhero. Once special forces, then mercenary, and lastly an undecided hero. The opening credits are hysterical. This character is Reynolds - he was born to play this character. There is a ton of action - it's really well done. The humour is great. He talks to the audience and points out the ridiculous. It's done in an excellent story telling format that is fun and keeps your attention. Baccarin (Gothem) plays his ex-hooker girlfriend. Skrein (Transporter) plays the bad guy - he does a fantastic job. He is sexy, cool, and super fit. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Special Correspondents

Gervais (Derek) writes, directs, and acts in his made for Netflix movie. Bana (Knights of the Round Table: King Arthur) is a full of himself reporter who gets stuck taking Gervais into Central America during a civil war. Because of several mistakes they end up staying in New York and reporting on a conflict they are no where near. Farmiga (Conjuring 2), Pollak (Axis), Bratt (Miss Congeniality), and Ferrera (Superstore) also star in this comedy. All in all, I say: WATCH IT

Luther

Elba (The Dark Tower) is a homicide detective who can get inside the heads of murders. Wilson (The Affair) is a serial killer who forms a tight bond with the cop. They work together occasionally to gain insights into finding other killers and to help Elba get himself out of trouble on more than one occasion. It has such potential - the acting and the writing are great. The problem is they keep taking the focus off of the cases and focus to much on the weird things and situations Elba keeps finding himself in. It's just a little too over the top for me. All in all, I say: SKIP IT.

Term Life

Vaughn (True Detective) becomes a wanted man. He is a middle man in the criminal world. He finds and researches jobs that criminals can buy from him. One of them goes wrong and the head of a criminal organization wants him dead. Steinfeld (Pitch Perfect 2) is his daughter who needs to be protected and gets closer to her father on the trip. Howard (Empire), Favreau (Elf), Paxton (Mean Dreams), and Banks (Better Call Saul) also star.  I loath Steinfeld, but like Vaughn. All in all, I say: STREAM IT on directv on-demand.

Point Break

1991 - Reeves (John Wick: Chapter Two) is a young FBI agent who has insights into some new bank robbers. Swayze (Red Dawn) is the head of a little group of surfers turned bank robbers. Busey (From Dusk to Dawn the tv series) is the older, wiser mentor. Petty (Gotham) become the agent's love interest. Le Gros (Don't Let me Go) also appears as a surfer. Reeves becomes close to the group and to Swayze's character. It's a tale about discovering who you want to be and the thin line between responsibility and fun. It was a classic the second it was released. All in all, I say: STREAM IT

2015 - still an FBI agent - only this time he use to be a famous X-Gamer. He was reckless and loved the adrenaline. He lost a friend and that got him to the FBI. In order to prove himself he gets involved with a group of other X-Gamers to get evidence that they are a group committing dangerous robberies around the world. The criminals are on a spiritual journey. It all goes to shit. The locations are beautiful and some of the stunts are cool. The plot is too twisted from the original. The acting isn't the best. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Night Manager

Laurie (Veep) is the bad guy every one wants caught except for those who are on his payroll. Hiddleston (High-Rise) is undercover seeking revenge. Like all Le Carre novels the characters all have multiple names and/or identities which makes keeping track of conversations next to impossible. Things become so convoluted and interwoven that after three episodes I couldn't take it any more. I didn't care about any of the characters. They all seem to fall in love at the drop of a hat - they never think they are being set up when things fall into place just as new people come into their lives. All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you love Le Carre novels - then go for it.

The Seventies

A documentary series focusing on the ongoing Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, evolving music industry, the Iran Hostage Crisis, the sexual revolution, and the rise of foreign and domestic terrorism.

All in all, I say: SEE IT - I watched it on Netflix and it was better than the 60s!

The Sixties

A ten-part documentary series focusing on the politics, music, technical advancements, drugs, and the "free love" movement of the 1960s.

All in all, I say: SEE IT - I streamed it on Netflix.

Pee-wee's Big Holiday & Some Kind of Beautiful

 Sucked ass - All in all, I say: SKIP IT - not surprised

Sucks ass - All in all, I say: SKIP IT - not surprised

Big Sky and Hotel Transylvania 2

Sucks ass - All in all, I say: SKIP IT - I had hoped Gallo?!

Sucks ass - All in all, I say: SKIP IT - wasn't surprised

The Walking Dead book 12

We meet the newest group - the Whisperers - they are the creepiest and nastiest bad guys yet. There are some very disturbing themes and plot lines in the last volume of the comic series. There is an assassination attempt, rape, and more zealots. All in all, I say: READ IT - the series is great and it does have differences from the show, so it can help you get through long months of no show to watch.

The Walking Dead Book 11

War with Negan and his group commences on an epic scale. Favorites will die!! What will Rick do with Negan now that he has been captured. What purpose will Negan's group have with Rick as a leader. Will the group survive now that they are in 2 locations? Will the trade network hold up? All these questions are left unanswered as we head into book 12 of The Walking Dead graphic novel series. All in all, I say: READ IT - it doesn't mean the same things will happen in the AMC show.

It Follows

If you have a sex a slow moving demon will catch up with you and kill you. So, So, So stupid. I couldn't stand it. I fast forwarded through entire thing. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Containment

I watched two or three episodes and it was so bad. The acting was bad, the plot was bad, and there were too many horrible mistakes with the medical stuff. It just seemed low budget and not worth it to see it being filmed in Atlanta. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Girlfriend Experience

On Starz OnDemand -this is a short half hour show about a call girl in New York and how her life becomes unraveled. It is annoying, scary, and disturbing. All in all, I say: SKIP IT - hard to say because I like Sparks (House of Cards).

Heartless (season 1)

Season 1 of this Danish teen tv show was interesting. It's a supernatural experience tied up with a witch and her revenge against the religious zealots who burned her at the stake. Not sure if season 2 will be released in US - the finale makes it look even creepier. It was good for a syfy show in my opinion. I watched it on Netflix. All in all, I say: STREAM IT

Mr. Right

Rockwell (F is for Family) was once an assassin for the CIA before an accident where his perception of his life and human life in general changed. He went from killing people for money to killing people who want to hire him to kill people for money. Roth (Twin Peaks - new tv series) is still working for the CIA and he is trying to either bring Rockwell back into the fold or kill him. Ransone (Year of the Rat) is trying to get Rockwell to kill his crime boss brother Mount (Hell on Wheels) so he can take over the business. Kendrick (Pitch Perfect 3) has not had the best luck in men until she meets Rockwell. It's quirky - I liked it even though I didn't like the ending. Spoiler: I didn't like when Kendrick started to kill. All in all, I say: RENT IT

Project Greenlight Seasons 1,2,4

Not sure why season 3 isn't on HBOGo, but it isn't. All the others are and it's kind of cool to see what goes on behind the scenes. Season 1 is a religious drama, season 2 is my favorite of the three - it's a comedy/drama, season 3 which isn't on go is a horror, and season 4 is a comedy. Of the four films - I only saw the first 2. All in all, I say: STREAM IT

Mother's Day

Aniston (Friends) and Olyphant (Justified) are divorced and trying to figure out mother's day with a new step-mother. Elizondo (Valentine's Day), Roberts (Pretty Woman), Whitehall (Fresh Meat) and Robertson (Tomorrowland) are trying to figure out how a child given up for adoption can get over her abandonment issues so she can get married around the schedule of a famous relative. Sudeikis (Permission) is trying his best with his two daughters now that his wife has passed. Hudson (Deepwater Horizon), Chalke (Scrubs), and Mandi (Daily Show) are trying to get along with their in-laws and all the lies they have spread over the years. It's just like all of Marshall's other films but filmed in Georgia, so it highlights cool places where I live. All in all, I say: RENT IT - it's a feel good movie.