Sixteen Candles

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.1

MY RATING: 9

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 4 May 1984
   Netflix: 21 Nov 2018

Genre: Comedy and Romance
Writer and Director: John Hughes
Running Time:  1 Hour and 33 Min

Staring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, and MANY MANY MORE

Rating? PG

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

Samantha's life is going downhill fast. The sixteen-year old has a crush on the most popular boy in school, and the geekiest boy in school has a crush on her. Her sister is getting married and with all of the excitement her family forgets her birthday. Add all this to the pair of horrendously embarrassing grandparents and an foreign exchange student named Long Duk Dong and we have the makings of a hilarious journey into young womanhood.

MY REVIEW

Again, I'm doing away with the "Did and Didn't Like" as usual and going with a general review. Oh, John Hughes. How did you do this? What little piece of your brain allowed you to get this so well? This is the movie that that gave all of us young girls the concept of our own personal Jake Ryan. I mean seriously, there was no boy in junior high that could hold a literal candle to the idea that was Jake Ryan.

From the opening scenes with the Baker family getting ready for their days is so perfectly 80's. Samantha's (Molly Ringwald) room is so essentially PINK and the whole idea that her mom and dad are so preoccupied with her sisters wedding that they have forgotten her birthday sets up a montage of hilarity. This movie is filled with the best lines and the most amazing scenes. It's like watching a time capsule: Floppy Discs, headgear, the music, the clothing!

On a more personal note..... 

Holiday baking well underway with the help of these two little rascals: Dexter Morgan and Rocket help by playing with their toys. I made mini pies (custard and chocolate) and finally, me cooking watching Sixteen Candles.

The Breakfast Club

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.9

MY RATING: 9

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  15 Feb 1985
   Netflix 20 Nov 2018

Genre: Comedy, Drama
Writer and Director: John Hughes
Running Time: 1 Hour and 37 minutes

Staring: Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy and John Kapelos.

Rating? R

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.

MY REVIEW

This movie never gets old. John Hughes had one of the single greatest grasps of the human condition and this in particular, the teenager. His films will resonate with anyone no matter where you grew up and to which clique you belonged.  I won't even use the system of "Like" and "Didn't Like" because there's not really much that I don't love.

John Hughes as the writer and director is brilliant. I love how he used the five teens as a cross section of youth of the time. The Jock, the Princess, the Nerd, the Criminal and the Basket Case. You see yourself in one or more and this film reminds you that it's okay to color outside of the lines. The other fact, more subtle though, is that you are in your groups and these groups are all too often inescapable.

The lesson that we learn in the span of the movie is that each was sent to detention for a reason that they eventually share and even though they are so different, they are the same. They struggle with their own demons and eventually find ties that bind them together. I cannot watch this movie without the story in my head is Claire (Molly Ringwald) and Bender (Judd Nelson) getting married.

I like the music but the Simple Minds song at the ned, Don't You (Forget About Me) stays with you!! LOVE!!!

And then there is the EPIC last scene with Bender (Judd Nelson) walking away with his fist raised while we are listening to the essay that Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) has written for the group.

On a more personal note..... 

Came home today to a pretty sweet surprise from my husband, a Star Wars themed necklace! Super adorable. Also, speaking of adorable, This is Jinx andLord Oliver Cromwell napping on the couch!

Malevolent

RATINGS

IMDB: 4.8

MY RATING: 1 stretch to a 2

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 5 October 2018
   Netflix 16 Nov 2018

Genre: Horror
Director: Olaf de Fleur Johannesson
Writer:Ben Ketai and Eva Konstantopoulos
Running Time: 1 hour and 29 Min

Staring: Florence Pugh, Ben Lloyd-Hughes and Scott Chambers

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

Siblings Jackson and Angela run a ghost hunting racket; swindling the bereaved with fake equipment and Angela's paranormal 'visions'. Hired to investigate an old foster home, the team uncover its terrifying past.

MY REVIEW

Oh, wow. I struggled with with the rating for this one. It was a solid 1 but had some moments of decency so I gave it a 2. If you want to save your sanity, skip this!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• CINEMATOGRAPHY- You know, typically, it's not the cinematography that saves a movie, but it was a close call for this one. 
• SPECIAL EFFECTS and COSTUME DESIGN- Not too bad.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• WRITING and EDITING- This movie had a chance at success. It had all of the possible ingredients for a successful movie but failed to deliver on any of them. Where on earth did these people learn how to be humans? Do they not have any common sense? Speaking of the characters. Would have been nice to meet them. What do I mean? Well, there was really no development whatsoever other than the "Hello, I'm Jim".
• DIRECTION- This was a lazy horror movie that made me do more of the work than the people who were supposed to be writing, editing and filming!

On a more personal note..... 

Because that movie was so terrible and I feel bad for making you waste your time reading this review, here are some ridiculously adorable pictures of my youngest baby boy, Lord Oliver Cromwell. He's 14 months old and I love his terribly!

The Shining

RATINGS

IMDB: 8.4

MY RATING: 10

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  13 June 1980
 Watched for the millionth time 15 Nov 2018

Genre: Drama, Horror
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Writer: Stephen King with edits by Stanley Kubrick
Running Time: 2 Hours and 26 Minutes

Staring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd

Rating? R

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil spiritual presence influences the father into violence, where his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and the future.

MY REVIEW

I decided it'd been a while since I'd watched this and well, with nothing really to do and seeing it on Netflix.. why not? I've always been a huge fan of the Shining. It was the first movie that really put a scare into me. It's brilliant. Period.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• DIRECTION- It's comedy and horror all in one. I'm not sure if Kubrick directed Jack Nicholson to do everything that he did, but his performance is haunting. Shelley Duvall is underwhelming. I still see her as Popeye's wife and I can't get that out of my head.
• EDITING and CINEMATOGRAPHY- There is something that is intentionally foreboding in the shots that lead you through this movie. It's as though you are being maneuvered through the movie under the spell of a masterful story teller.  I love the long continuous shots that are quiet and dead. It's a delight when  you move rapidly through each scene to see what you might have missed in the first, second of fifty-seventh viewing.  
• WRITING- It is Stephen King, so it's magnificent, however, the book and the movie are not the same. I think that Kubrick took some liberties but it worked for me.
• SET DESIGN- I feel like the isolation should be the main point of the set. They really drive home the idea that they have to drive so far out of the way and they are so far out from help. They are on their own until the frozen tundra defrosts in the spring. The hotel itself is a pretty amazing piece of art. The use of the large empty spaces is genius!
• SCORE- The score truly brings more tension

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• That the movie had to end. That's all I have.

On a more personal note..... 

Know what I did last night? Well, I went to see one of my most favorite bands in the whole entire world! Blue October played at the Norva last night. I sang every song. I have no voice today.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Season 1)

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.8 of 10

MY RATING: 7

GENERAL INFORMATION

First Episode Air Date:  28 October 2018

Seasons? x1 right now, 3 in the works.
Watched Where and When: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Staring: Kiernan Shipka, Ross Lynch, Lucy Davis, Chance Perdomo, Michelle Gomez and a whole ton more.

Rating? TV-14

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

Reimagined story of the adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and of course witchcraft. Totally in the vein of Rosemary's Baby and the Exorcist. In this adaptation we find Sabrina Spellman wrestling to reconcile her dual nature of half witch and half mortal, while standing against the evil forces that threaten her and her family and the whole daylight world that humans inhabit.

MY REVIEW

I was not quote young enough to have really enjoyed Sabrina when it was out in the late 90's with Melissa Joan Hart. I did watch a few, but they were too bubble-gum and rainbows for my dark little heart to enjoy. Which is why it was with trepidation that I watched the first episode of this reboot. I liked the idea of a darker and more sophisticated retelling. I watched the first one and then the second episode and then the third and right through the whole eleven episodes in about 2 days. It was not perfect by any means but it was funny, dark and just a ridiculous enough to keep me interested!

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa created an amazing little slice of something that really worked. He was also known for Riverdale, Carrie (2013)m Supergirl and some episodes of Glee and Big Love. Most of the episodes were directed by Rob Seidenglanz, You might know him from some of his little projects like Blindspot, the Following, Jack and Bobby, Party of Five and Suits.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Direction and Storytelling- There were several producers, EP's, AP's and a ton of other P's involved in this tv show and it was the combination of all of those professionals that created the environment that felt like a real story. They were able to get good performances and some great performances from their actors. I liked the dark path, a LOT!
• DARK!! (Not dark enough though, see below)

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Did someone watch Harry Potter a little too much? I think the school of dark magic that is masked with some sort of spell that cloaks it from view. Really not unique.
• I would have appreciated a little more darkness. (Did I mention that I do have a dark little heart!?) Come on with the Satanism! Most intelligent people know that wicca/ witchcraft and most other practitioners of the darker arts are NOT satanists. They worship the earth or earth gods that have nothing to do with Satan or even god for that mater! 
• If they worship the Dark Lord, let's get real, I needed more. It's still a bit too bubble-gum.
• I read this somewhere else, but i laughed when I did because it was SOOO true!! "When someone is killed by rope around the neck the word is hanged. When the 13 were hung, it implies they were dangling in a tree and were not murdered by hanging. Really really annoying."

The Rezort

RATINGS

IMDB: 5.3

MY RATING: 5

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 15 June 2016
   Netflix 11 Nov 2018

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Director: Steve Barker
Writer: Paul Gerstenberger
Running Time: 93 Minutes

Staring: Dougray Scott, Jessica De Gouw and Martin McCann

Rating? Unrated

SPOILERS? NOT REALLY, one little one  :)

STORYLINE

Following a near-apocalyptic zombie outbreak, humans are back in control. In this day and age, people know how to handle the "Z's". The latest craze is "Zombie Safari". A chance to shoot the undead in the wild. The ultimate therapeutic revenge following the losses suffered during the outbreak. Little do the vacationers realize they're actually in a highly controlled environment, where the zombies are always kept at a safe distance. Nothing is left to chance, nothing is unplanned. So far.

MY REVIEW

Following a pandemic where millions of people were killed by zombies, why the hell not? The plot and general direction of this movie was strong. It's definitely not a high budget festival of delightful scenes, but it's a passable, original, jump-scare filled movie. Set your expectations to moderate and you'll be okay.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Writing/ Editing- Good job on the part of the writer Paul Gerstenberger in getting both an action packed first act. Makes sense, since most of his repertoire is TV shows.
• Set Design and Location- Filmed in the Philippines., the set is amazingly beautiful. I love the juxtaposition of the island paradise and the flesh eating zombies..
• Firearms, lots of guns, lots of BIG GUNS. (Insert prior military girl boner)
• Zombies- The powers who were in charge decided to make the spectacular decision to go with the classic Romero style zombie. Good choice team. #Team Romero

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Writing/Editing- I would have liked if the "incident" was a little more slow to develop. It just kind of happens so fast that the view does not have a chance to take in the severity of the situation.
• Special Effects- I know, it's low budget, but even low budget movies can get a decent special effects artist to help with the basics. If  you couldn't get it right with the big show-stopper style make-up, then you should have paired it back and did what you could. Could I have done it better? Nope. But I have watched all 10 seasons fo Face Off.
• The "Why?"- So, we get little tiny bits of what happened and why, SPOILER, a zombie rights advocate (really, yes, that's what I said) made a computer virus that caused the incident. 

On a more personal note..... 

His Lordship, Oliver Cromwell was particularly adorable today. Well, so was I, so we both took some pictures. I finished another piece today. I am calling it "Tuscan Summer".

Evil Genius

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.6 of 10

MY RATING: 9

GENERAL INFORMATION

First Episode Air Date: 10 May 2018

Seasons? 4 Episode Series
Watched Where and When: Oct-Nov 2018 on Netflix
Genre: Documentary, Crime

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

The extraordinary tale of the "pizza bomber heist" and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects.

MY REVIEW

I remember seeing this in the news in 2003 but wow, just wow. This documentary was intense. Netflix has done a really great job with this one. What I feel is the most powerful fact is that the researcher spent 15 years of his life getting to know the main suspect, Marjorie Deihl Armstrong. Definitely worth the 2.5 hours you will need to get through this documentary. Great job!

Part 1: The Heist
So let's set the scene. A bank robbery in Erie, Pennsylvania ends
in the death via collar-bomb device on a pizza delivery man, Brian Wells, who may or may not have been a hostage forced to commit the crime. The police are confused/bumbling in this portrayal where they just watch as he yells from his spot in the road that he was set up. The device blew and he was declared dead but NOT dead enough apparently to put their guns down. We find out later that this was definitely a set up for this guy by a prostitute that he often went to. She sold him out for some quick cash.

Part 2: The Frozen Body
Now we find out more-- SO there's a frozen body (James Roden) in the freezer at the house of this woman, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, who by all reports is crazy intelligent but is riddled with personality disorders and mental issues.. AND get this, she was turned in by her friend/boyfriend/lover (William "Bill" Rothstein) whoever since it just kinda all merges. What we do find out is that one of them killed James Rosen, even through Rothstein claimed in was Deihl-Armstrong. Roden was her boyfriend and was killed so he wouldn't tell about the heist is the assumption.

Part 3: The Suspects
Two years after the heist, one of its architects (Rothstein) has died of cancer, a witness comes out of the woodwork and then Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong reveals much too much to her cellmates in prison.

Part 4: The The Confessions
So here we are, years after the death of Bill Rothstein, conspirators start to come forward, deals are made and a jury renders its verdict BUT THEN, another twist, more witnesses to the so-called solved crime step forward.

Don Giovanni

GENERAL INFORMATION

View Date and Location:
4 Nov 2018 at the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, VA

Premiere Date: 29 Oct 1787 in Prague
Language: Italian
Composer: Mozart

Virginia Opera:
Director: Lillian Groag
Conductor: Adam Turner

STORYLINE

This is a two-act opera written by Mozart that is based on the legends of Don Juan, a fictional seducer of women. 

MY REVIEW

What I really love about the Harrison and the Virginia Opera is that before every performance is a 30 minute introduction to the themes and music and a little lesson about the opera itself. That really makes the music more enjoyable. There is a sense of understanding that you get when you can hear the music beforehand and know that when you hear a certain piece, to watch for something. Love this!

This was a well directed and well performed opera. Don't get me wrong, I know that the opera is ABOUT Don Giovanni (Tobias Greenhalgh), so he is the star, but the star for me was Leporello (Zachary Altman) He played the Don's servant with such a sense of humor that it was fun to watch him. He stole the stage for me.

I do identify with Donna Elvira (Sarah Larsen) as she is not only seduced once, but falls for his sweet words over and over again. I get it.

I was dismayed with the supertitles at the Harrison. That's the small screen that is displayed for the non-Italian speakers. My Italian was good enough to keep up, so it wasn't that bad for me!

Demonic

RATING

IMDB: 5.3 of 10

MY RATING: 2

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  10 October 2017
    Netflix 3 Nov 2018

Genre: Horror, Thriller
Director: Will Canon
Produced by James Wan
Writer:Max La Bella, Will Canon
Running Time: 83 Minutes

Staring: Maria Bello, Frank Grillo and Cody Horn

Rating? R

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

Louisiana: Det. Mark Lewis is called to the notorious Livingston House and finds three bodies and one survivor, John. A team of ghost hunters, Bryan, John's pregnant girlfriend Michelle, Jules, Donnie and Sam, have decided to hold a seance. Marta Livingston committed a violent slaughter here years ago. It goes horribly wrong and evil spirits are released. Queue the interrogation of John while a technical team try to retrieve the hard disks and footage from the event.

MY REVIEW

Okay, so, I saw the cover and saw James Wan in decent size letters and then the smaller. Presents. So he was not thee writer, not the director, but had some interest in the movie. That is one of the first problems with this movie. The writing is horrific. It's a tale that has been overdone so much that within the first 20 minutes, I can guess the outcome. That could be the fact that I watch way too much horror as well. I didn't hate it, it just wasn't that good.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Maria Bello- she was good, even if she did always have a confused look on her face. It was as if she knew the shit show she was starring in was such a confusing piece of crap.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Cinematography- Found footage is my least favorite genre of film-making. The combination of actual directed footage in combination with the footage of the ghost hunters team placing the cabers and finally the footage of what the camera shot was not a successful join for me.
• Writing- This felt to me like a "horror movie generator" came in and took a few pieces: Demons, Haunted House, seance and a bunch of dead kids, and spit out a movie. Just a bunch of desperate acts as the writers just tossed some crap into the air and let it fall down on the paper. And the final twist at the end. It was as if they knew the movie was failing and just tossed this in as an afterthought.  It's JUST not that interesting. 
• Editing- I know a little about filming movies, not too much, but enough. I think they filmed a bunch of stuff and then sat in a room and taped it together. It's not exactly smooth transitions. The first hour of the movie is just blah and the majority of action is in the last 20 minutes.

On a more personal note..... 

Just a little Snapchat fun, made a delicious breakfast and walked in on Oliver who had crawled up on top of Rocket to got to sleep!

1922

MY RATING: 8

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 20 October 2017
     Netflix 2 Nov 2018 

Genre:Crime, Drama, Horror
Director:Zak Hilditch
Writer:Stephen King
Running Time: 1 Hour and 42 Minutes 

Staring: Thomas Jane, Molly Parker and Dylan Schmid

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

A simple yet proud farmer in the year 1922 conspires to murder his wife for financial gain, convincing his teenage son to assist. But their actions have unintended consequences.

MY REVIEW

1922 is a slow and deliberate look at guilt and consequences. This movie is rich in character development and heavy in a suspense. One can see influences of Edgar Allan Poe here with nods to "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat." I've always been a big fan of stories that are told by one of the characters.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Thomas Jane as husband to Arlette (Molly Parker) and father to Henry (Dylan Schmid) is quite possibly my favorite part of this whole movie. His dedication to the 1920's farmer persona was refreshing. He's overbearing as a father and in his attempts to control his wife. Arlette seems to not want to be controlled and that is very odd for a wife in that time.
• This movie will F&*$ with you psychologically.  In the beginning, we hear Thomas Jane's character Wilfred James speak the words "In the end, we all get caught." How perfect were these words once you get to the end of the movie. This theme did resonate with me. You can't hide from deeds in your past. They always catch up to you. ALWAYS. In one way or another, they peep out and catch you when you least expect.
• The plot begins dark and spirals down a dark path that continues to become even darker than one would think possible. 

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Once the story was defined, it was somewhat predictable. 
• I was set in 1922. Everyone looks too clean. I mean for real, at that time, everyone was taking baths once a week and greasy hair as the norm. Henry always looked too clean! Could have been a little more realistic with the attire. 14 year old farm kids did not wear pressed shirts to school.