The Month in Review(s) - February 2016

Ah, February - a month of storms and Valentine's cards. And books of course.

 

Check out all my reviews from this month...

 



Kids

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (aka just 'The Lightning Thief') by Rick Riordan - Fantasy, Mythology

Adult

Today Means Amen by Sierra DeMulder - Poetry
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Classics, Romance
The Trouble With Wolves (aka 'The Trouble With Weres') by Leigh Evans - Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Werewolves, Fairies/Fae
Omega Beloved by Aiden Bates - Romance (m/m,) Paranormal, Fantasy, Werewolves, LGBTQ+, Short Story

Graphic Novels

Grumpy Cat Volume 1 - Kids, Humour, Media Tie-In
Red Sonja/Conan: The Blood of a God - Fantasy, High Fantasy 

Popcorn Reviews (Film)

Seventh Son (2014)

Popcorn Review! - Seventh Son (2014)

The Film/ TV Adap: Seventh Son.

The Bookish Inspiration: The Wardstone Chronicles/The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney (published in the US as The Last Apprentice series.)

Main Cast: Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Ben Barnes, Alicia Vikander.

Director: Sergei/Sergey Bodrov.

BBFC Rating: 12A.

Amazon: UK - USA.



Opening credits:


I'd never read any of the books by Joseph Delaney, so didn't really know what to expect when watching this film - except that it looked kind of high fantasy-ish and was based on kids' books which are aimed at sort of 11 or 12-ish and up.


Premise:

'Spook' Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges) recruits a seventh son, Thomas Ward (Ben Barnes,) to become his new apprentice in the fight against bad magic and the diabolical plots of the evil sorceress Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore.)

Is this the life Thomas wants to lead? And can they stop Mother Malkin?


Best bits:

Julianne Moore is decidedly both batty and beautiful in this film - and clearly enjoyed playing the part. B**ch be crazy.

I love all the robes and the magic and the Ye Olde Worlde feel to this film - it makes it seem more believable, and more involving.

Ben Barnes and Alicia Vikander clearly have a level of on-screen chemistry which made their will-they-won't-they relationship feel more engaging. I really liked this aspect, because unlike most romance, this didn't feel forced, and managed to contribute to the plot by creating questions of loyalty and morality.

Oh, and there's a bit part for Kit Harington, which is always good.

Not so great bits:

Parts of this felt... under-developed? I don't know - I guess that there was so much plot to cram in that the subtler nuances sometimes got left in the dust.

I felt like maybe this was trying to be too many things at once, instead of grabbing one or two of the main themes and playing them out.

There's a bunch of violence, implied sexy times, and some gore/horror which may not be suitable for everyone.


Popcorn Worthy?

This was a sort of background-noise, veg-out film, rather than something which blew my world. It was still watchable, still enjoyable - just missing a little bit of the wow factor.



Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA - IMDb



Liked this post? Try this:

• Popcorn Review! - Constantine (2005)

The Month in Review(s) - January 2016

From now on I'm going to provide a brief 'Month in Review(s)' post.

This is literally a re-cap of all the reviews that I've written this month, collated in one post.

So now you can take a shufty at the books (and the odd film) that I've reviewed in the month, and catch up on any you may have missed.

Enjoy! :)

Kids

Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson - Historical Fiction

Young Adult

Dark Hope by Monica McGurk -  Angels, Paranormal.
The Invisibles by Francis Gideon - Romance (M/M), LGBTQ+.



Adult

Dead Ice by Laurell K Hamilton - Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Zombies, Vampires, Crime, LGBTQIAP+
Poetry From the Lady of the Pier by Effrosyni Moschoudi - Poetry, Short Stories, Chick Lit

Graphic Novels

STARVE Vol 1 - dystopian

Non-fiction

Death, Disability, and the Superhero: The Silver Age and Beyond by Jose Alaniz

Popcorn Reviews (Film)

Batman (1989)
Constantine (2005)


I'll do a Charity Reading Challenge 2016 update when I've actually read something towards it. (Note to self: remember to read stuff for that challenge.)

Comics Wrap Up - Like a Bat Outta Hell

Film Trailers

The Suicide Squad trailer hit! (Stand by for minor fangirl moment: ohmygod!canyouseeitcanyouseetheawesomenesscanyouseeit?!?!?!OHMYGOD!!!NBFIURGHIWOR!!!! - ok, I think that's over.)

It looks pretty damn good. Jared Leto's joker man, Jared Leto's joker.

TV Trailers

 

Agent Carter is back, back, back! Loving the flamingo. Loving Peggy. Loving Jarvis. What's not to love?! (I will always love Peggy Carter. Always.)

Graphic Novels

My review of the graphic novel STARVE Vol 1 (UK - USA) (which I mentioned last week) was posted on Tuesday. You can read my review here.

Single Issues

Pretty Deadly #1 (UK - US) is a kind of western/cowboys type deal-y, only with a sort of supernatural element bunged in for luck (it's probably better than I'm making it sound.) There's a bunch of gore and a few naked ladies, so, y'know, it ain't one for the kids.

I thought the artwork was pretty damn good, and the story seemed to have some potential. It did take a while to get into, and the story wasn't really in full swing by the end of the issue - so probably one to read as a series-starter, rather than anything else.

Film

I reviewed Constantine (2005) on Monday - an uber-great film based on the Hellblazer graphic novels. You can read my review here.

Other Stuff

Die-hard Marvel fans learned a little more about the upcoming Civil War II this week - awesomeness!


Like This Post? Try These:

• Popcorn Review! - Constantine (2005)
• Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Starve Vol 1 by Brian Wood
• Trailer Review! - Suicide Squad First Look

Popcorn Review! - Constantine (2005)

The Film/ TV Adap: Constantine (2005.)

The Bookish Inspiration: The 'Hellblazer' graphic novels.

Main Cast: Keanu Reeves, Shia LaBeouf, Rachel Weisz, Tilda Swinton.

Director: Francis Lawrence.

BBFC Rating: 15.

Amazon: USA.



Opening credits:

Perhaps unfairly, this film flies under most people's radars. Maybe that's appropriate - Hellblazer, and Constantine, has always appealed to a small cult audience, rather than being mainstream.

This is also my best friend's favourite film. So I've seen it more than once. Because we have to support each other's insanity, obviously.


Premise:

John Constantine is a demon-hunter and exorcist trying to avoid eternal damnation (as you do >.<).

Angie Dodson's sister is found dead. Is there more here than meets the eye?

Something's coming. Are they ready?


Best bits:

There's a louche gothic-ness here that wraps you in its intricacies. The horrors are harsh. Constantine is bitter: he smokes, drinks, and takes far too much cough medicine. And somehow you end up just loving it.

Keanu Reeves, taking the lead role, delivers what can only be described as an excellent performance. But it's Tilda Swinton's brief scenes (though you will love to hate her in this film,) that will stick with you; along, of course, with the fiery and rusted vision of hell.

The effects are great - though many will find them disturbing. And the whole thing has an awesome gritty feel to it that will please fans of horror films, as well as those who like things that are a little out of the box.


Not so great bits:

There's a lot of discussion of heaven and hell, demons, mental health, cancer, and suicide. I'm sure there will be a significant portion of people that aren't in the right place to be watching this film.

It also gets somewhat graphic in terms of violence and gore, with suicide scenes that could definitely shock many people.

Don't get the wrong impression - it's not gratuitous, but then, neither does it shy away from the physicality of the thing (hard to say any more than that without getting into dangerously spoilerific territory.)


Popcorn Worthy?

This is definitely worth breaking out the popcorn - great for evening viewing, but maybe not one to watch alone at 3am with the lights off. Unless you want to, of course, but I warned ya!


Buy Now USA - IMDb



Liked this post? Try these:

• Popcorn Review! - Batman (1989)
• Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Sons of the Devil Vol 1

Comics Wrap Up - Calling Out For a Hero

TV Trailers

I don't actually watch Daredevil (I don't have Netflix, dammit!) but this trailer looks pretty damned cool.

Film Trailers

This week gave us a triple dose of teasers from the incredible, impossible, Deadpool. I love Deadpool. I know I say that a lot - but it's no less true!!!!!

Film

My very first popcorn review was on suitably comic-based fare.

Batman (1989) (UK - USA) was the first of the run of Batman films, previous to Christopher Nolan's more recent Dark Knight trilogy (UK - US.)

You can read my review right here.


Graphic Novels

This week I read STARVE Volume 1 (UK - US) - and oh boy, is it a doozy! Hard to summarise, but basically - wow. Never looking at chefs and reality shows the same way again!

Keep an eye out for my full review, which will be with you within the next week or two my lovely people!

I also read Adulthood is a Myth: A 'Sarah's Scribbles' Collection (UK - US) - my review for that will be posted in February (I know, I know, that feels like a million years away - but this is what happens when I read eARCs people; I loved it, I can tell you that!)

Other Stuff

I reviewed the non-fiction book Death, Disability and the Superhero by Jose Alaniz (UK - USA).

This is a study of the representation of death and disability in superhero comics (as the title implies >.< ) and you can read my full review here.


Like This Post? Try These:

• Review! - Death, Disability, and the Superhero by Jose Alaniz
• Popcorn Review! - Batman (1989)
• Comics Wrap Up - We Could Be Immortals

Popcorn Review! - Batman (1989)

The Film/ TV Adap: Batman (1989)

The Bookish Inspiration: Batman comics and graphic novels

Main Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger

Director: Tim Burton

BBFC Rating: 15

Amazon: UK - USA


Opening credits:

This is the first of the Batman series which comprised of Batman (UK - USA,) Batman Returns (UK - US,) and the ill-remembered Batman Forever (UK - US,) and Batman and Robin (UK - US.)

Still, perhaps the Christopher Nolan films would not even have been made if not for the success of the 80s and 90s movies.


Premise:

Billionaire Bruce Wayne  (Michael Keaton) dresses like a bat to fight crime, and faces off against Jack Nicholson's Joker (which was a very nice business deal for Mr Nicholson.)


Best bits:

This re-invigorated superhero movies - and Batman. Blowing aside the campy 1960s TV show, this allowed Batman to be more as he was in the comics - a little more dark, a little more brooding, a little less safe.

And the Gotham city architecture, the Batmobile, and the randomness of the Joker, all have Tim Burton's fingerprints all over them.

True, this isn't enough Burton for mega Burton fans (guilty as charged,) but there's enough in the little details and gothic fairy-tale to show that this is, indeed, a Burton film.

Nicholson's Joker is fab. I know that the defining performance is Heath Ledger's - I get that. But the blend of comic and sinister is pretty damned



Not so great bits:

The fashion and hair-styles look exceptionally dated - 80s much? The Batman suit? Well, they did their best.

I'm not a fan of Michael Keaton in the role, but that's more a personal thing than anything else - in my humble opinion, the character needs more quiet gravitas.

The love interest keeps being in peril, and having to be rescued. It's annoying.


Popcorn Worthy?

A very watchable film - with a bit more fun than the Nolan films, and more sense than the 60s TV series.

It nevertheless deserves to be judged on its own merits - and it's a pretty good film, certainly fine for a lazy Sunday afternoon, but maybe you'll want to save the popcorn for the Dark Knight trilogy (UK - US.)



Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA - IMDb


Liked this post? Try these:

Comics Wrap Up - We Could Be Immortals
Trailer Review! - Suicide Squad First Look

Coming Soon - Popcorn Reviews

...No, I don't mean reviewing popcorn (shush, you silly people,) I mean film reviews.

"What? But C R, surely you can't mean that? Films aren't books!"

Yes, I'm aware of that - but here's the selling point my dearest friends, readers, and randomers who've just stumbled on my blog by accident (don't leave! I love you!) - I'm planning on writing my Popcorn Reviews on book-to-film adaptations (and other book-related fare.)

Keep your little eyes peeled my dears, hopefully there will be a Popcorn Review with you very, very soon.

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