Knives Out

MY RATING: 9

Knives Out (2019)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  27 November 2019 

Watched 16 Jan 2020

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Writer and Director:  Rian Johnson
Running Time: 2 Hours and 10 Minutes

Staring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO 

STORYLINE

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death. Written by Lionsgate

MY REVIEW

Oddly, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate this movie. I was ready do hate it. But, I do L O V E Rian Johnson and the idea that he wrote and directed along with the cast of insanely talented artists. I'll be honest, I didn't go see it in the theater, so I waited for it to be on iTunes movies and did what I do best. Watch it at home from the comfort of my own couch with a cat on my lap. My review will explain why, but yes, this is a good movie. I settled on a  9, which I feel might be generous. Please continue reading to understand why I went that high.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Rian Johnson. I should just write you a love note here. Direction, cinematography, writing, editing, flow. You, sir, are a genius. This was a beautifully complicated movie.  I remember watching Hercule Poirot and Agatha Christie growing up and this felt reminiscent to those older films. It came across as nostalgic, even through it was modern.
• Chris Evan's sweater. Enough said
• While the story itself was easy to follow, I missed a LOT of things that I should have caught. As someone who typically figures out the end WELL before the the reveal, I enjoyed being almost there.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Daniel Craigs accent. I COULD not take him seriously. It did pull me out of the magic of the movie a few times. I just couldn't get past it.
• Twisted plot that sometimes leaves the watcher trying too hard to make sense of the plot holes.
• Social message was a bit overdone, but not enough to detract from the overall idea of the movie.

On a more personal note..... 

Tons of Selfies. It was my friend Missy's daughters 2nd Birthday. Oliver was adorable. Dexter Morgan thought he belonged on a shelf in the office.

Joker

MY RATING: 9 of 10

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 4 October 2019

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Todd Phillips
Writer: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
Running Time:  2 Hours and 2 Min.

Staring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz and well, quite a few more...

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

In Gotham City, mentally-troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter ego.. Joker. 

MY REVIEW

This is NOT a lighthearted DC Comic movie just to set that straight out of the gate. This is a dark and twisted tale of a downhill spiral that takes a mentally impaired man through seven levels of literal hell. It's feral. It's violent. It's glorious. Think Taxi Driver meets Fight Club.

The Joker has been played by Jared Leto most recently, Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson going all the way back to Cesar Romero. None of them really stood out to me as the definitive "Joker". (We all have a "Batman" who will always be "the One!" My Batman will always be Adam West!) That being said, Joaquin Phoenix IS the Joker. Continue below...

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Joaquin Phoenix breathes, bleeds and cries as the Joker. He is perfection. His portrayal of the melancholy mentally unstable Fleck is hauntingly enigmatic.
• Writers Todd Phillips and Scott Silver created a solid tale that is mesmerizing to the soul. It's gritty and tragic but with moments of comedic perfection that lead to a genuinely great movie. This is good because it's just over 2 hours long and it keeps you in your seat. Well done gentlemen. 
• I don't want to give too much away, but the first two acts are written and filmed in a way that will help the viewer almost understand Joker's motivation for the final act. That's not to say that you can empathize with his actions or even remotely find them justified, but the viewer can understand what went wrong.  There are definitely hints to a societal breakdown where a mentally ill person who needs help and is receiving only the bare essentials can fall through the cracks and end up where he did. Let's leave it there and I'll be happy to discuss after any of you see the film. (I have a LOT of opinions about this aspect of the movie.)
• The Score. I'm a bit of an audiophile and when I heard some classic Charlie Chaplin from the classic 1936 Modern Times, I could not help but to smile. There are some great pieces in this movie.. a little Sinatra.. a little Cream.. and last but not least.. Send in the Clowns.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• All of the action of this movie was in the final act and really in the last 20 minutes. It's not boring by any means, but it did feel like it took us a LONG time to get to the end.
• Plot holes here and there, but 
• The trailers gave away too much 
• Social commentary seemed a little over the top. It's hard to NOT say exactly what I want to with ought giving too much away. Let's just call it that it's very obvious what the writers were attempting. Although I do love the story, the idea that situation that was created almost intentionally by inaction of the people around him and the inept care of social service department led to the creation of basically a serial killer.

On a more personal note..... 

I had a night out with some friends..We got a roomba.. I tried to make the cats feel like he was part of the pack so I gave him ears and whiskers. His name is Karl.

Murder Maps

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.4

MY RATING: 8

GENERAL INFORMATION

First Episode Air Date: 10 Nov 2015 (UK)

Seasons? 1 through 3
Watched Where and When: Netflix
Genre: Crime, Documentary, History

Rating? Unrated

SPOILERS? Not really

STORYLINE

This drama-doc takes us back in time to the most shocking and surprising murder cases in history. Nicholas Day guides us into the world of the killer as we see how police ingenuity and early forensics helped bring them to justice.

MY REVIEW

Brief overview; This doc series is available on Netflix. (Only seasons 1 through 3 at this time) East episode is roughly 45 minutes and there are 4-5 episodes per season. It's astounding to see the path that forensic evidence takes through these winding tales that take us through the murders from the 180s through to the first fingerprinting evidence in the 50's. This is worth the watch.

I love how the series uses live action reenactments as well old photos and drawings of the times at which the murders were done. Peppering in a few interviews with historians and law enforcement professionals that made the stories really come to life.

Of course, any horror movie aficionado as myself, knows some of these stories all too well, but a good amount fo the murders were new to me. Season 2 tells the story of John Christie, the murderer who was responsible for the Notting Hill murders in 1943-1953. It was so intense that it was spread over two episodes. Another new one was the Brighton Trunk Murders, Season 3 Episode 1 about the summer of 1934.

On a more personal note..... 

Little SnapChat fun with the cats tonight. They were not as amused as I was at the idea!

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.

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.

Thoroughbreds

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  9 March 2018
    Watched 30 Oct 2018

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Writer and Director: Cory Finley
Running Time: 92 Minutes

Staring: Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy and Anton Yelchin

Rating? R

SPOILERS? Yes but there is a warning when they start

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.8 of 10

MY RATING: 9 of 10

STORYLINE

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.

MY REVIEW

First, let me say that this was Anton Yelchin's final movie before his passing in 2016. He's always been on my list of highly underrated actors and in many of my reviews over the years. Odd Thomas, Fright Night, Burying the Ex, Star Trek Beyond and Green Room. You will be remembered.

What a movie! For Cory Finley's directorial debut, this was a solid win. Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke were dark and deadly. The combination of dry humor mixed with the perfect slow pace and morose tones was MADE for these two. Cory Finley dropped, what felt to me, like a deliberate filming style that sent a little wink and a nod to Kubrik.

Don't let the genre of comedy fool you, this is NOT a typical comedy. I saw the tagline of "Heathers meets American Psycho" and smiled. Those are two of my favorite irreverent and darkly sadistic movies. This did not fail me. There's something compelling about these emotionally stunted girls who live a bored privileged life, just bored enough to do anything.

What Olivia Cooke brings as Amanda is pure gold. While there were some obvious flaws with her "by the book" sociopath persona, it was a great performance. (She was also great in Ready Player One click the link to read my review!) She feels nothing, every emotion is a muscle memorization. We all have that little piece that makes us ambivalent, but she lives there permanently. Lily on the other hand played by Anya Taylor-Joy is overwrought with emotions. (She was also great in The Witch and Split, click the links to read my reviews!) She is the empirical opposite of Amanda in every way and their friendship seems doomed from the start.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Writing and Direction. Cory Finley will be on my watch list for future movies.
• Cinematography- Well done  Lyle Vincent. After reviewing his credentials, I am not a bit surprised that I enjoyed his style.
• Soundtrack- Hauntingly beautiful

DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT IF SPOILERS ARE A CONCERN

From the first minute when you realize that not only were Amanda and Lily friends who hadn't spoken in many years the reasons are forefront in your mind. As the clues are revealed throughout the film, it becomes clear that their paths were very different. Seems that Amanda had "put down" a thoroughbred horse after its leg was broken and was convicted of animal cruelty for the way that she did it.

There are subtle notes of foreshadowing as the girls go down their plan to rid Lily of her disturbingly overbearing step father. It's obvious that Lily would be the major beneficiary of the deed, but someone was going to have to take the fall. At first they had selected local drug dealer Tim (Anton Yelchin) was was a massive failure. Next was a do-it-yourself style that also fell apart. Finally, the true "bad guy" rears her head when Lily spikes Amanda's drink and kills her step-father and places the blood and knife in Amanda's hands on the couch. We zoom forward a little to learn that Amanda is now in mental hospital and Lily is interviewing for college. Feels like she may have set it up! Best last line of the movie is when she see Tim who asks about Amanda and Lily said she received a letter. She begins reading the letter to the audience...

Amanda: [Amanda's voice reading her letter to the audience] I had a dream.. I rise out of my body, and I'm staring down at our whole suburb, and time is speeding up. And I see generations of people coming, and going, and building bigger houses. And then eventually... the people start spending more and more of their time staring at their smartphones. And soon enough, they're forgetting to clean their houses, or mow their lawns, or eat. And eventually all the houses rot and collapse, and the people disappear, vanishing completely into the Internet. And then... and this is the really beautiful part, the horses take over. And the whole suburb is just beautiful thoroughbred stallions with no owners and no memory of owners and no way of knowing how expensive they are, just mating and galloping through the ruins. 

Tim: What did it say? 

Lily: I don't know. I just threw it away.

On a more personal note..... 

Had a lot of fun finishing my Halloween costume. Almost there!! 

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 29 June 2018

Director: Stefano Sollima
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Running Time: 2 Hours and 2 Minutes

Staring: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine and Elijah Rodriguez

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.5 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

The drug war on the US-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro).

MY REVIEW

Refer to my review of Sicario. I really loved that movie and had high hopes for this one. What had me worried? Well, the original director, Denis Villeneuve was amazing and I think he brought a lot to the movie. This director, Stefano Sollima, is new to me and his repertoire is basically Spanish language writing and directing.  BUT, Taylor Sheridan reprises his role as writer. His long credit list speaks for itself as both a writer, actor and a director.

This movie was a hit on almost all levels for me. The subtle score, the settings and the general idea of the story. It was intriguing and poignant. We're in a world where terrorism is now a daily occurrence and the things that we have to do may not always seem right or even just, but  sometimes the ends justify the means and sometimes they do not. This movie puts your brain to work and makes you think. I love when movies treat me like I know what the hell is going on and not spoon-feed me the story. I have a fucking brain. Great job on that.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• The Brolin/Del Toro combination is on FIRE! They play off of each other so well and the fact that they are uniquely different just makes it that much better. 
• This movie is intense. There are so many things that you just want to be mad at in this film as a human. 
• What movie aficionado would NOT just love the cinematography in this movie? The wide shots on the dead terrain on the other side of the border were brilliant.
• The violence is exactly what is needed in a movie like this. It would have felt less real. 

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Some basics of the plot I found to be a little less thought out. There were times when as a viewer, I couldn't really tell if the action and sub-action were in the same time period, near each other or days apart.
• There are a few things hat stick out as just off. I don't want to give you all of the pieces, but fi I saw it, you guys will.

On a more personal note..... 

Wore a Hiscox USA T-Shirt to work. Realized that Jinx has become a little too used to sitting on the bookshelf in my office.

Death Note

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 25 Aug 2017 (Netflix)

Director: Adam Wingard
Writer: Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides
Running Time: 1 Hour and 41 Minutes

Staring:  Nat Wolff, Lakeith Stanfield and Margaret Qualley

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 4.6 of 10

RT: Critics: 39% Audience: 25%
MY RATING: 3 is all I can do

STORYLINE

Ripped from Japanese Anime.. a high school student named Light Turner, discovers a mysterious notebook that has the power to kill anyone whose name is written within its pages and launches a secret crusade to rid the world of criminals.

MY REVIEW

So, I have seen the original Death Note and have a little knowledge of the book itself. That being said, I was not a fan of this movie. It was less comparable to the original and more on the line of Donnie Darko. It has bright spots but no where near enough for a redemptive up-rating. It ;leans towards a teenage melodrama and steers away from the original intent of the story. I do want to give Willem Dafoe a LARGE nod of the head for his portrayal of Ryuk. 

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

•  Willem Dafoe- You, sir, deserve a special shout out! Excellent job sir. You alone get this movie a 3 instead of a 1!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Lakeith Stanfield's portrayal of "L" was a little ridiculous to me. He was hard to take seriously and occasionally bordered on the deliberate exaggeration or an imitation of something that he was not super interested in copying.
•  Nat Wolff and  Margaret Qualley as the two main characters. Just not awesome.
• The rules? It seems that there are a lot of rules that are just introduced as plot development needs  and pretty ridiculous since they don't even follow the rules themselves! I mean, seriously, why can Mia WRITE in the book, TOUCH the book but NOT SEE Ryuk?!?!?

On a more personal note..... Had a lovely  afternoon AFTER the movie with my friend Melissa and then a few pictures of the babies, Dexter Morgan and Rocket J.

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John Wick: Chapter 2

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 10 Feb 2017

Director: Chad Stahelski
Writer: Derek Kolstad
Running Time: 2 Hours and 2 Minutes

Staring:  Keanu Reeves, Riccardo Scamarcio and Ian McShane

Rating? R

SPOILERS? Yes

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.6 of 10

MY RATING: 3

STORYLINE

After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers a large bounty has been put on his life.

MY REVIEW

I should have know that I would not care for this movie. I didn't love the first one. I DID, however, under duress, watch this movie with the husband. This was a mindless killing spree with little to no story and absolutely the most base of story lines.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Lawrence Fishburne's character was a pretty great piece.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• There is JUST no character growth. John Wick is still just avenging his dog's death. He's no better of a person in 2 than in 1. 
• Dear writers, this was drivel. Please try again.
• The only plot device is revenge.
• Instead of paying actors for Keanu to shoot, they just should have put up some cardboard boxes with pictures on the front.

On a more personal note..... Selfie time on the way to work this morning.Also, noticed that the bush in the front yard is blooming. IT's FEBRUARY! And Dexter Morgan says hi!

Spotlight

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 25 November 2016
      Netflix 12 September 2016

Director: Tom McCarthy
Writer: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy
Running Time: 128 Minutes

Staring:  Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci and John Slattery

Rating? R

SPOILERS? YES, but it's not really a deal breaker.

REVIEWS

IMDB: 8.1 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

When the Boston Globe's tenacious "Spotlight" team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston's religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world.

MY REVIEW

Director Tom McCarthy you may know from appearances Pixels, 2012, The Lovely Bones, and The Little Fockers. His directorial history is much shorter. This is a grand slam for him in my eyes. He did an amazing job telling the story along with the co-writer John Singer. This was a daunting story to tell and needed to be told.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• This is a haunting movie. It stays with you for hours after the movie is over. There is no doubt in my mind why this movie won Best Picture. This unnerving and makes one question so many things about life in general.
• This is direction and writing done to the best of their abilities. This story is told in cinematic brilliance.  
• Whoever casted this ensemble did something that I never thought could be done. Batman, Leiv Schreiber, the girl from the Notebook and The grey haired guy from Mad Men.. I would have never thought that this group would be put into the same movie, much less create a cast that REALLY WORKED! They were amazing together. A true group of characters that were believable and true to form.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Could have used a little more Boston accents! :)

On a more personal note..... I had SOO much fun today with some of the girls from my last job! Me, Taylor, Chris and Ami went to a place called Breakout. It's a situational game where they lock you in a room with clues and a ton of locked doors, cases, drawers, etc and you have to connect the clues and figure out how to ESCAPE! The thing is, you only have 60 minutes to get out. WE DID IT!! With 5 minutes to spare! Baby Dexter Morgan helped me with some drawings this afternoon. I finished one that I was working on with the Moai of Easter Island. It's one of the places that I would love to go to someday!!

Carl Panzram: The Spirit of Hatred and Vengeance

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 2011
     Netflix 21 August 2016

Director: John Borowski
Running Time: 81 Minutes

Rating? Unrated

SPOILERS? Nope

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.4 of 10

MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE

This documentary examines the live of serial killer and rapist Carl Panzram who lived from 1891 to 1930. It examines how his life hardened him into a psychotic murderer. It also examines how a prison guard named Henry Lesser forged a friendship with him and encouraged him to write an autobiography.

MY REVIEW

I absolutely love Crime Documentaries, and with the amount that I watch on Netflix, the recommendations it gives to me occasionally are pretty awesome. So when this one was suggested, I was happy to watch. It's intriguing and disturbing all at the same time. Definitely unique to say the least and one of the least known serial killers of the 20th century. I had;t heard of this guy until this movie! This is insane that had it not been for the prison guard, Henry Lesser, sneaking him paper and pencils, this story may have never been told. Lost forever!!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• I think that John Borowski did a pretty awesome job with this documentary.  I loved his with on the H.H. Holmes Documentary. I think he did well fleshing out the story with such disparate and hard to prove information. Carl Panzram's writings were bog on stories and low on the details that could prove too much. Borowski did a lot of digging to find what he did. Great job!! This guy was a sadistic rapist from his youth in reform school. 
• This story is disturbingly relevant. It's a good study on man's inhumanity to man. The hunan race is failing to see what could happen if people like this are not taken into consideration early on. I don't know what we could have done to prevent this, but still should have been on the radar.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• i get the face that they were trying to tell a story, but the dramatic, or, OVER-dramatic reenactments were at times laughable. They were pretty amusing though!!

On a more personal note..... Super good day today!! Started out this morning and took a few selfies on Snapchat!! I LOVE THOSE THINGS!! Then, off to the mall with my BFF Missy!! We had some lovely Coconut Caramel Macchiato's and then to the Limited, Old Navy and Bath and Body Works!! A tiny lunch, then back to my house and made steaks on the grill! 

             Love, Michelle

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H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 26 October 2004
     Netflix 17 August 2016

Writer and Director: John Borowski
Running Time: 64 Minutes

Rating? Unrated

SPOILERS? No

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.4 of 10

MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE

Depicts the entire life of Herman Mudgett, AKA Holmes, and his castle of horrors. Also known as the torture doctor, Holmes designed his own building, complete with torture chambers, where he rented rooms to unsuspecting victims visiting the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. Focuses on Dr. Holmes' entire life of crime and villainy (1861-1896). Threaded with on-location footage from Holmes' past haunts, such as his childhood home in New Hampshire and the Philadelphia courtroom where his trial was held. It's a visual tour-de-force of reenactments, expert interviews, and period photography

MY REVIEW

As a horror movie fan, this name comes up quite often as the basis of some creepy horror movie villains. I've seen it before and I know I've likely watched it several times. This was the latest and I decided to go ahead and review for the blog! It's a good documentary, not great, but good.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• This is a story of true psychosis of an individual and their descent into the madness that cannot be described easily.
• The story of his life and how if effected his final days.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Not that I didn't like it, but the documentary fails to show the extreme depravity of H.H. Holmes brutality and utter manipulation of those around him.

On a more personal note..... My baby Kitten, Rocket, was being super helpful today and helping me with some drawings. Needless to say, he was able to get charcoal all over his silly face! Then, I headed out to Chesapeake with Ami and Denean to have a little lunch with my favorite ladies!! Came home to find Baby Dexter and Rocket asleep on my bed!

Manson's Missing Victims

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 28 December 2008 (Made for TV)
     Netflix 18 December 2016

Running Time: 48 Minutes

Rating? Unrated Documentary

SPOILERS? Not Really

REVIEWS

IMDB: 5.1 of 10

MY RATING: 5

STORYLINE

It's almost universally believed by those who were involved with, or who have studied, the Manson Murders that there are far more victims still out there. This documentary looks at some of their graves.

MY REVIEW

This documentary is NOT for everyone. If you are interested in Historical Crime, then yes, you will like this. It's got a few researchers looking at the idea of the unidentified victims that may or may not have succumbed to these murderers.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• A fun watch.
• Interesting take on the Yuma Co. Sheriffs department stalling evidence collection.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• LOTS of conjecture and circumspect. Lacking on the evidence.

On a more personal note..... Looked super cute today in my black and white polka dotted dress with a red belt. By the end of the day after the gym, I was literally done, hence the tube dress and lack of interest!! And one from yesterday with baby Rocket.

Whitey

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 27 June 2014
     Netflix 12 July 2016

Director: Joe Berlinger
Running Time: 1 Hour and 47 Minutes

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.8 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

This documentary captures the sensational trial of infamous gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger, using the legal proceedings as a springboard to explore allegations of corruption within the highest levels of law enforcement. Embedded for months with Federal Prosecutors, retired FBI and State Police, victims, lawyers, gangsters and journalists, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Joe Berlinger examines Bulger's relationship with the FBI and Department of Justice that allowed him to reign over a criminal empire in Boston for decades. Pulling back the curtain on long-held Bulger mythology, the film challenges conventional wisdom by detailing shocking, new allegations. With unprecedented access, Berlinger's latest crime documentary offers a universal tale of human frailty, opportunism, deception, and the often elusive nature of truth and justice.

MY REVIEW

I have always been interested in crime and this story has always been one that has stuck out and in the since he was caught for good in 2011, it's been in the news again. This is a pretty brilliant documentary. The fact that he was the second most wanted fugitive next to Osama Bin Laden is just incredible!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• It was filmed in an artistic less-newsy way that I really appreciated. Although it's packed with information, it's done in a very intense way so that all of the data is shared quickly and in easy to digest segments.
• The interviews- wow, just wow!
• Hearing a lot of data about the Top Echelon Criminal Informant Program (TECIP) and rare footage of Joe Valachi

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Although there was lots of background on Irish Crime in Boston and I would definitely like to see more, the movie was very densely packed with information and at some points it was too much.
• A lot of conjecture on whether Whitey was an informant or not with not a lot of evidence either way.

On a more personal note..... I was feeling very classic today with my black hair, red lips, black and white clothes and pearls. Maybe a little Audrey? Also, the 3D Printer is pretty much running at full speed these days. The Terminator head came out pretty good even taking 40+ hours to complete. Paint went on nicely! AND, lastly, I had two friends birthdays this week, Chris and Billy. I made these little gems.. Peach cake with Vanilla Peach frosting and little blue sugar crystals.

The Girl in the Photographs

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 1 April 2015
     Netflix 7 July 2016

Director: Nick Simon
Writer: Osgood Perkins, Robert Morast and Nick Simon
Running Time: 98 Minutes

Staring:  Kal Penn, Claudia Lee, Kenny Wormald

Rating? R

SPOILERS? Yeah

REVIEWS

IMDB: 4.5 of 10

MY RATING: 4

STORYLINE

A bored young woman in a sleepy community called Spearfish starts receiving photographs of brutally murdered young women. Are they real or staged? The culprit is either a serial killer or some creep with a sick sense of humour.

MY REVIEW

This was not a BAD movie. By no means was it great either! I do admit that I gave this movie a 4 for a reason. It could have been a 6 except for the tired number of cliches that were numerous! As a horror movie fanatic, I can point out the obvious rather quickly.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Some of the acting. Claudia Lee and Kenny Wormald to be exact, was pretty good. Claudia Lee is the secondary character and she was not bad. I think she was able to act her way through with finesse. She was a good damsel in distress.
• Kal Penn. Oh Kal! I think you did a pretty decent job with this. He is appropriately full of himself and over the top. 
• Great cinematography!! Filming and editing were aces!
• Death Scenes were pretty spot on!!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• This movie is RIDDLED with cliches! Just so many!  So, anytime there is a girl walking with another girl who offered to driver her to her car so "the killers don't get her" is gonna get murdered. Easy. Every time. When the girl goes to the cops to report the dastardly deeds, the cops don't believe her. Yep. That ALWYAS happens! Just too much!
• The baddie was just weird. Not weird creepy, but just odd. He just didn't have that video for me to be the one killing people the whole time. 
• Lack of suspense! They just about told you what they were planning on doing before they did it!
• Too conventional for a slasher movie, the twists weren't twisty enough.
• The director, Nick Simon, was also responsible for "The Pyramid" which I found to be pretty terrible. The writers were Oz Perkins (Son of Anthony Perkins) and Robert Morass.  I think they need to take the blame for the low rating.
• Supporting cast! BOO!!

On a more personal note..... Had some Jinx time after work. He was awesome and wanted to sit with me while I was watching Shark Tank!! Gave Rocket a little weight check to see if he was getting close to 4 pounds.. FINALLY! He's 4 pounds! AND then, Isabella got into the catnip!

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