Sharp Objects

Don't expect another Gone Girl. It's a mystery filled with abuse, but not quite a thriller like GG. A female reporter who lives in the big city and was a cutter for reasons you will discover when you watch/read is sent to her hometown by her editor to get a story and maybe heal the wounds between her and her mother. This small town is filled with a lot of crazy shit - it's a hog killing town which is disturbing enough. The stuff the main character has done is chilling and disturbing - she a high functioning alcoholic too. She is a complex character. I guessed the mom's secret and the half-sisters secret with the first 60 pages or so. Once I started I had to finish. It is disturbing and if violence against kids bothers you stay away!!!! All in all, I say: SKIP IT  unless you want to watch the series on HBO and like to read stuff first.

In the Shadow of the Sun

A father who works with a non-profit to help provide North Korea with food takes his two kids on vacation to North Korea. He is falsely accused of something and arrested while they are in the middle of a bus tour in the countryside. His two kids are able to hide and get away. The book is the two of them a blond haired American teenage boy, and his South Korean adopted younger sister. It's about their relationship with each and with their parents. They make their way to the border to escape. Woven in every couple chapters is short - three page - look at the life of a North Korean each in a different position who sort of interacts with the Americans. It goes into some of the cultural and political traits of North Korea, but it ended up being more about siblings and fitting in. All in all, I say: READ IT but I'm not buying it for my students - not enough there.

Little Fires Everywhere

I don't like crap like this - people trying to figure each other out and trying to find themselves and everyone hurting everyone else for no reason if only they would talk. It's exhausting - too much drama. It doesn't even resolve itself - everyone has secrets and people get hurt, but nothing is finalized in the book. It leaves you just hanging there. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

No Choirboy

Each chapter is a different male inmate each of whom was accused of a crime and tried as adults even though they were all minors. They all have either been found innocent or admit they were guilty. Each spent time on death row which is appalling. It is so interesting to hear about prison from their point of view. It's really kind of sad. It's predictable - a poor upbringing and poor role modeled led to bad decisions. All in all, I say: READ IT

Bone Music

Book one of a series written by the son of "Vampire" writer Anne Rice. A woman raised by serial killers finds herself deep into an unauthorized medical trial that gives her a strength she never felt she would ever have. It sets up everyone's background and prepares the reader for more books. The writing is ok - I've read better and worse. I don't really like serial killer stuff - I think in future books they might go into more of that. It was different that's for sure. All in all, I say; READ IT if you like science fiction.

Lie To Me

Wife leaves a note and then leaves...or does she. Everyone starts to think that he husband has done her in. A new detective in the small town thinks it's all too neat. We read from husband and wife point of view. I guessed the killer around chapter 2 or 3. It boils down to the fact that they didn't communicate - they kept secrets. I don't like books that do that or movies - communicate people you are married! Drives me nuts. It was a quick read. All in all, I say: BEACH BOOK

Quess Who's Coming to Dinner

Sidney Poitier (To Sir With Love) plays a doctor who lost his first wife and child, and after a few years meets a young woman full of life and falls in love. It's 1967 and society isn't as accepting of a mixed race couple. They decide to get married and move to Europe of a job he has decided to accept. She wants her parents - whom she believes are very liberal - to meet him. Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn (both from Woman of the Year) are her parents. Turns out her dad isn't as accepting as she thought. His parents are also wary. There are some great debates and monologues in this., Everyone has superb acting - It raises a lot of issues from the civil rights movement that a lot of people then and now don't really talk about. Excellent. All in all, I say: SEE IT

In 2005, it was remade with a twist and more of a comedy. Ashton Kutcher (The Ranch is the boy) and Zoe Saldana (Avatar) are the young couple trying to convince her dad in particular to accept them getting married, Bernie Mac (comedian) plays the dad - there are several fun scenes with the 2 guys and Nascar. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Beyond Skyline

An odd, low budget, heavily CQI'd science fiction movie about aliens that come to earth. It was on Netflix and starred Frank Grillo (Purge) whom I have a soft spot for. It was filmed in Indonesia. It wasn't what I expected and it wasn't great, but to have playing in the background will I look at social media it was ok. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Same crew - second movie in this particular character series of Marvel. Walton Goggins (Tomb Raider) is the bad guy, so that was good casting. Hannah John-Kamen (Killjoys) was Ghost, but they didn't let her use her martial arts but like twice. Seemed a little like a waste of talent. Laurence Fishburne (Matrix) plays a scientist. But I have to say the car chases and any and all scenes with Michael Pena were fantastic. The banter and the action kept me from getting bored. Everyone is raving about Evangeline Lilly (Hurt Locker) and I agree she did good, but not Michael Pena good. After the extra scene I am worried about the next Avengers movie. Fingers Crossed. All in all, I say: SEE IT in theatres - you don't need to see it in 3D though.

The First Purge

I may very well have been over analyzing this film, but I can't help it. Since the very first film in the series there have been so many connections to our current political and societal statuses. This one hits: the recent marches, Hitler's Nazis, Hitler's Propaganda, KKK, mercenaries, Black Water, Rodney King, police brutality, Trump, gun control, war on drugs, poverty in America, government housing, voting, institutional racism, using health care and science to enforce racists policies, gun violence, gang violence, and so much more. Those are just the symbols I caught watching in one go - I would need to see it again to catch even more I'm sure. This series is NOT just a horror series - this is a mirror of our culture, our society, and our politics. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Patriot's Day

I love me some Peter Berg (director of The Kingdom), so I wanted to see this. I knew I wanted to wait a little bit because I knew it would be emotional - needless to say I might not have been ready. I cried a lot. It follows pretty closing the bombing, the investigation, and the man hunt that took place during the Boston Marathon Bombing. Berg loves his Mark Wahlberg (The Shooter) so he played a police officer that was there from beginning to end - we see things from his point of view for most of the movie. It was a little hard to watch, but Berg's direction made it worth seeing. All in all, I say: RENT IT

The Commuter

It kept creeping up everywhere, so I broke down and watched it. I knew it would be predictable. Indeed I knew the bad guy withing the first 10 minutes. I also figured out who he was looking for. There are a ton of holes in this plot, so if you do watch do NOT over think it or that will be the end of that. It's Liam Neeson (Taken) being Liam. He goes back and forth on the train - gets a little boring. Patrick Wilson (Phantom) also stars, Vera Farmiga was one of the reasons I decided to give it a go, but she really only has one scene and then a couple of phone calls. Waste of her talent. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Wonder

I did not read the book, nor did I see any of the stuff on TV about the real people. I was so hesitant because everyone was going gaga for it that I have only just now watched the film. Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers) the way I like Owen - a little humor and a lot of kindness. Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman) is starting to bother me when I see her in films - don't know why - I'm just saying. They do a decent job. Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) as the principal was a great casting decision. Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place) is the real star in this - his part isn't very big, but damn that kid can act. What I liked it that it wasn't exactly what I thought it was - it examined different kids points of views - it focused on everyone and that you never know what kids/people are going through. Everyone struggles. The dog - at the end - bothered me - why do that - was it just to make me cry - well it worked. All in all, I say: RENT IT

Deadpool 2

No - just No. I should not have even bothered. I was bored out of my mind. They go way to far - there is only so much gross stuff a woman can handle. It's like it was made for perverted 13 year olds. The plot is slightly irritiating. There are many holes. There were fewer funny parts than the last movie, and a lot less action. The only thing - ONLY thing I liked (if you're going to put a gun to my head) was Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) as Domino - her scenes and lines were good - the rest is CRAP. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Freakish

On Hulu and filmed low budget in PA it will remind you of a couple of young adult series books I have previously blogged about. A chemical is released into the air creating some fast moving, flesh eating zombies - they call freaks. A group of high schoolers are trapped in the school and over two seasons need to find a way to survive. There is nothing you haven't seen before - every character is up for grabs as far as death. so don't get attached. The are HUGE problems with the plot. They keep opening doors, breaking windows, and getting in and out of cars, but they never get infected because every now and then they have masks on - COME ON. I call BS. That bothered me - that and it was clearly based on the books I've read, but they claim it's original. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like zombie (cheesy zombie) SKIP IT if you don't.

Yes, I Do

One of a couple of Hallmark's June wedding movie. I forgot to list a few, but the plot is the same for all Hallmark movies. The bride leaves her groom not once but twice, so the movie focuses on her getting over her fears, as well as, trying to keep her career on track. It wasn't bad, and there was a happy ending. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Take Two

On ABC, but I'm watching on Hulu. Take Two is about an ex-cop turned PI who sees a bump in business when he takes on an actress. She was on a popular cop show until drugs got her in trouble. Now out of rehab she has a chance to do a movie about a PI. Her agent has her shadow a PI, but when they work so well together and solve the case - future clients want her as well. I've seen three episodes now and it's cute. It's gruesome which is a nice change of pace. It's light with light humor. It's predictable, but with so much gore these days it's a nice change of pace. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Tomb Raider

Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl) gets some serious muscles for this reboot of Lara Croft. I have never played the game, so I don't know how close it is to the real storyline. Surprisingly, I liked it better than the other Croft movies. Walter Croggins (SOA) always makes a good bad guy. Dominic West (The Wire) plays her father. I wouldn't have paid to see it in theatres, but it was decent for a day at home during a rain storm. The plot isn't great, but the acting saves that. All in all, I say: RENT IT