Saturday is Horror Day #124 - Malignant, The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

 Malignant

Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is pregnant, but her four previous pregnancies have all ended in miscarriages. Her husband Derek (Jake Abel) is abusive. They get into an argument and he throws her against the wall, knocking her head hard, causing her to bleed. She locks herself in her room, and has a nightmare where she sees someone enter the house and kill Derek! The killer knocks her unconscious. She wakes to find herself in the hospital, and Derek is actually dead. Her sister Sydney (Maddie Hasson) has to tell her the sad news that her baby didn't survive.

The police investigate, of course, but there is nothing Madison can tell them.  Madison goes home, and there she reveals to Sydney that she was actually adopted at the age of eight and has no memories before that time. Meanwhile, the killer kidnaps a woman during a Seattle Underground tour, and Madison's head keeps bleeding for some reason.

Madison continues to have disturbing visions of death, which actually turn out to be true, but she can't explain how she knows. During a hypnotherapy session, Madison remembers a childhood friend she had forgotten about - Gabriel. But her parents claimed he was imaginary, while Madison insists he was not. But the truth is stranger than that...

Malignant is a James Wan, and I love him. It has his signature look, including sophisticated and eerie graphics. But the beginning of the film suffers from looking too predictable, to the point where I considered turning it off. It did pick up, and the actual premise was more interesting than I gave it credit for being, even if rather unlikely. But I haven't seen anything like it, so all in all not a bad film, just not as good as some of his others. I'll give this film 3 Stars

The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

Francis Barnard (John Kerr) is in search of answers as to what happened to his sister Elizabeth (Barbara Steele). She traveled from London to Spain to marry nobleman Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price), and then she died. No details were forthcoming, so he decided to find out for himself. On arrival at the castle, the servants tried to turn him away, but a young woman came to his rescue. She introduces herself as Catherine Medina (Luana Anders), Nicholas' sister. But when he asks to know how his sister died, she has no ready explanation.

Barnard insists he will not leave without the answers he seeks. When he does meet Nicholas, who is obviously in mourning, he is reluctant to speak about his late wife. Later, Catherine tries to explain to Barnard of the horrible things Nicholas witnessed as a child. Their father had been an Inquisitor during the time of the Spanish Inquisition and possessed a torture chamber filled with unspeakable horrors. Having lured his wife and his brother into the dungeon, he accused them of adultery, and did what he did best, all witnessed by the young boy.

Fortune is with them when Nicholas' good friend and physician, Doctor Charles Leon (Antony 

Carbone) arrives at the castle. But even he is a loss to heal his friend's wounds. Nicholas reveals that he has a long-standing fear of premature burial, but Leon assures him his wife was quite dead when they buried her. Then why does he hear strange noises in the night? And who was playing the harpsichord she played so often? Could he have made a dreadful mistake?

Although based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe, this film does not follow the actual story. Even so, I have loved this movie since I was a kid. I mean, Vincent Price, what's not to love? That being said, this is the story of a man whom circumstances are driving toward madness, despite the best efforts of his sister. Vincent Price is wonderful as Nicholas Medina, and the rest of the cast do a good job. This is what we watch a Roger Corman film for. Nicholas' madness reminds me of that of Roderick Usher in The Fall of the House of User (another Roger Corman/Vincent Price collaboration). Still great after all these years. Not perfect, but good. I'll give this film 4 Stars.

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #82 (17.2)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Vinnie and Ethan are on their way to see the unnamable actress. That can't go wrong, can it? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #82 (17.2)

I half-expected to find this fancy place had valet parking, but no, that was just an illusion based on my own assumptions. We parked in the circular drive at the front and entered. The young lady at the reception desk exuded serenity as we approached. Maybe it went with the territory. Can’t risk stirring up the patients, right? Of course she recognized Troy right away, and spent ten minutes gushing over him and how she’d seen every one of his movies. He listened to her politely, of course, but I noticed he kept one arm securely around Brendan. Not that he wasn’t openly gay, but sometimes it didn’t hurt to remind his public of that, I guess.

“Oh yes, she’s here,” she replied to his question concerning the wayward actress. “I believe she is expecting you in the solarium. Let me show you the way.” Apparently he’d contacted her to let her know he was coming. Probably a smooth move on his part.

“Thank you very much, Miss…”

“Mandy,” she replied with a blush.

“Miss Mandy,” he repeated with a courtly bow. I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. Troy could be such a ham sometimes.

Troy turned toward Ethan and me. “I’ll text you when it’s safe to come in.”

Ethan nodded. I hoped the solarium wasn’t hard to find as I suspected we would not be offered the same assistance in locating it.

“No worries,” Ethan said as we made ourselves comfortable in two plush blue chairs in the waiting area. “I’m sure we can ask someone for directions.”

Glancing around at our surroundings, I noticed there was a wing on either side of the main entrance, and a long staircase going up. But the building was also modern enough to have elevators,. Old fashioned ones with antique gold gates.

If you didn’t know this was some sort of hospital, you wouldn’t have known that by the people we saw. Not a nurse’s or orderly’s uniform in sight. And not a single person wearing pajamas, even posh ones. All very laid-back and low-key.

“Think she’ll get away with it again?” I asked Ethan. He too was observing the people around us just as carefully as I was.

He glanced at me and shrugged. “I wish I knew, baby. When you have money, you can afford to hire good lawyers. I guess it’ll depend on how she spins her flimsy story of auditioning for some unknown director.”

“Yeah,” I glumly agreed. “She might seem to be twice as crazy for that.” Maybe she didn’t really know, but that just made her delusional. And gullible. Guess you couldn’t fault a person for that.

Ethan leaned in to me, his hand on my leg as he looked into my eyes. For a moment, I worried that something was wrong. Until he said, “Once all this is behind us, maybe you and I should set a date.”

Of course I realized what he was talking about right away. We’d been engaged since Christmas Eve, and wore the matching bands to prove it, but we’d never actually set a date. Most of that was probably my fault. That fear of commitment thing. An open-ended engagement was one thing, but picking an actual date and making actual plans was something else.

But it wasn’t like I didn’t want to marry Ethan. I most certainly did. I needed to get out of my own head. Learn to relax and trust. I did trust Ethan with all my heart. Which he also owned.

“We should do that,” I agreed and was rewarded with a beautiful smile. The kind that I lived for.

Just then Ethan’s phone beeped. He glanced down at it then back at me. “Looks like it’s time to join them.” He raised his brows at me, and I knew what he was thinking without him having to say a word.

“I’ll behave,” I promised.

At least I would try.

 to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

Saturday is Horror Day #123 - Pan's Labyrinth

 Pan's Labyrinth

Ofelia's (Ivana Baquero) world is thrown into turmoil when her father dies during the war and her mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) makes the reacquaintance of an army officer named Vidal (Sergi Lopez). Now heavily pregnant, Carmen rejoins her new husband, wishing to introduce him to Ofelia. But he is not only controlling, he is mean and sadistic and life goes from bad to worse. The only other person Ofelia can count on is Mercedes (Maribel Verdu), unaware that Mercedes has a secret of her own.

Ofelia likes to lose herself in her books of fairy tales, despite the Captain's objections. And she will not 

call him father, either. One night a grasshopper comes to her room, telling her to follow it. It leads her to a labyrinth, and there she meets the faun Fauno (Doug Jones). He tells her of a story about a princess... and how Ofelia is that princess. And in order to claim what is rightfully hers, she must perform three tasks.

This was a beautiful film in many ways. Everything came together - writing, acting, directing, editing, cinematography, all under the deft hand of Guillermo del Toro. It's hard to tell where reality ends and fantasy begins...or if they truly do.  Brutal people do brutal things, and sometimes good people have to make hard decisions. If you're looking for sunshine and sweetness and Tinker Bell-like fairies, then this is probably not the movie for you. But if you want to lose yourself in a little girl's world, take this extraordinary journey along with her, then please do enter. But do so at your own risk.

I would not change a thing about this film. I give it 5 Stars.

Book Review: Zombie-Loan, Vol 4 by Peach-Pit

 

Zombie-Loan, Vol 4   

Author: Peach-Pit

Publisher: Yen Press

American release date:  June 17, 2008

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Fantasy Manga/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Shito is even touchier than usual, especially after finding that someone has been in his room without his permission. How does he know? Things have been moved a fraction of a millimeter! He rejects Chika’s attempts to bond with him and takes off, warning the others not to follow. A strange man appears shortly after and hugs Chika within an inch of his life, to Chika’s annoyance. Michiru is surprised to learn the newcomer is Chika’s dad, Yuuri! With him is Chika’s sister, Momoka, who is not quite as energetic as her father. Michiru is appalled when they mistake her for Chika’s wife, but Chika lets them know that’s not true.

Meanwhile, Shito finds the man he knows to be responsible for the state of his room, a Chinese man who calls him Shito-shao. He refers to Shito as a monster, and mentions his master is concerned about him and his dealings with the zombie-loan people. When he returns home, Shito and Chika get into another fight. Ferryman decides to take everyone to dinner (with Ot-Su’s money)

Chika and Shito are in desperate need of money, especially since the trip to the hot springs wasn’t even zombie related. So when they spot a potentially high yielding zombie hunt, they jump at the chance to earn some big bucks. Meanwhile, a strange doctor is performing even stranger experiments on people, something have to do with zombies. And suddenly, Shito disappears.  At first no one questions it. But, as days pass, Chika begins to feel the effect of Shito’s absence, as does Shito. Something has to be done.

And another player enters the scene!

 This volume mostly revolves around Shito’s kidnapping and recovery. We finally get a glimpse into Shito’s backstory, and it is a very interesting story indeed. We meet some new characters, including a free-wheeling zombie hunter and a somewhat adorable Shinigami that Michiru wants to take home. But of course, retrieving Shito can’t be too easy, right? So we end on a cliffhanger, as usual. Looking forward to the next volume!

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #81 (17.1)

  Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

The time has come to bid a fond farewell to Ethan's parents and head toward Atlanta. But first, to Vinnie's dismay, they need to take a detour to talk to the crazy actress who shall not be named. See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #81 (17.1)

Maureen insisted on rising early with us the next morning, claiming we needed to start our day with a good breakfast. We weren’t about to complain about that. I think the truth was closer to she wanted to say good-bye, not knowing when we’d be back. That I could definitely understand. We’d had quite the unexpected break, filled with a number of ups and downs, but it was past time to get back to work.

After bidding our fond farewells to Ethan’s parents (yes, the minister actually chose to see us off as well), we picked up Troy and Brendan from their motel since they’d returned their rental car. No sense in having two vehicles when we were going to the same place. Once the visit with Crazy Pants was done, we would be dropping our friends at the airport in Atlanta and continuing on with Uncle Benny to the well-guarded secret location where we would be staying for the next two days. Until Benny testified on Wednesday.

We arrived at the asylum…sorry, I meant mental health facility…about nine-thirty or so. For anyone who hoped for institutional gray walls and iron bars, surly guards and unpalatable food, sorry to disappoint (and yes, I admit to being one of those). Belle Santé was the name of this place, spelled out in an elegant wrought iron archway under which we passed on our way down the very long drive. (Reminded me of a certain plantation we’d gone to, which was fitting considering who else was there) I had done a little research on the drive up. Belle Santé had been built in the early 1920s under the auspices of its founder, a French doctor/therapist, who had built up quite the following during his time in Beverly Hills prior to moving to this location. (The reasons for his move were not listed, amid a certain amount of speculation of wrongdoings or cover-ups. Probably thanks to his connections,  this place had been host to a number of actors and actresses over the years, treating ailments that ran the gamut from addictions to drugs and/or alcohol, to those with less physical causes. This was clearly not a place the average person could ever afford to recuperate in.

The hospital could easily have doubled as some sort of fancy chateau or something. Not that I was overly familiar with any of those. But the point is that, as usual, Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong had managed to end up with the best of everything, despite all she’d done. Didn’t that just figure?

On the drive up, we had come up with a plan for dealing with Nutso. (Not to self: try not to use such euphemisms in front of Troy, it upsets him. And I know it isn’t nice, but right now I don’t care). Despite the fact that Ethan and I were the ones in charge, we were sending in Troy and Brendan first. To soften her up, as it were. Then Ethan and I would make our appearance and hopefully get somewhere. We had our laptop, and were fully prepared to present her with the evidence of her involvement. But, as Ethan reminded me, she had to be handled with kid gloves. We couldn’t afford to have her lawyer up. Hopefully, with Troy there, that wouldn’t become a thing.

to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

 

Saturday is Horror Day #122 - Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead

 Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead

A relaxing rafting trip goes horribly wrong for two couples when they are set upon by the same inbred crazies from the first two films. The only survivor is Alex (Janet Montgomery) who manages to bolt into the woods, panic stricken, and evade capture.

A group of convicts is about to be transferred to another prison, when the warden receives word that there will be an attempted ambush and freeing of the prisoners by the gang members still on the outside. In order to outsmart those plans, the transfer is scheduled for a week earlier than planned, and will take a different route. Unfortunately, the new route will take them into the remote backwoods of West Virginia, and... well, you can guess the rest. The convict bus gets into an accident after being hit by a tow driven by the mutant called Three Finger (Borislav Iliev). The policeman who is accompanying them and the corrections officer have no choice but to free the prisoners from the back of the burning van, making sure they are safely chained together.

So, here we go again. Same mutants, new sacrifices. If you thought the second one was bad, I hate to say it but this one is worse. Everything sucks. Writing, directing, acting. No Henry Rollins to save the day. They even divested the film of the camp which was what made the first one and attempted to save the second one. This one is supposed to be a taut thriller with gore. It fails miserably. Except for the gore.

Even the mutants don't seem too excited to be there. Makes you wonder if they're cannibals, what do they eat when people don't stumble into their little corner of the world? At any rate, this one sucked. I'm going to give it .5 Stars just because there was a small attempt at making the traps innovative and horrifying. My advice is to steer clear. Hopefully the next one will possess some redeeming qualities, but I am not holding my breath on that.

Book Review: Assassination Classroom, Vol 11 by Yusei Matsui

 

Assassination Classroom, Vol 11     

Author: Yusei Matsui

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date:  August 2, 2016

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Action Adventure Manga/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

One of the members of Class 3E has a name he really doesn’t care for. His parents were both police officers and very enthusiastic ones at that. When he was born, in their excitement they named him Justice Kimura.  He prefers to be called Masayoshi. Inspired by Kimura’s story, Koro Sensei proposes that they come up with code names for one another, the way the assassins they dealt with on the tropical island did, and then use them for the entire day. Ready, set, go!

Isogai has been nicknamed “Mr. Handsome”, and everyone loves him, including the customers at the café where he works outside of school hours. The members of his class turn a blind eye to what he is doing, because it’s actually against school rules. But Isogai’s family is very poor and rely on him to bolster their income. The truth is that he was demoted to Class 3E, not because of his grades, but because he was working. When Asano and some of his cronies discover Isogai’s secret, they threaten to out him. But Asano would rather make a wager. Sports Day is coming up. Class 3E has to beat Class A in the pole pull-down or Isogai’s secret will be revealed! But does Asano, like his corrupt father, ever play fair? Can Class 3E defeat the enormously strong ringers that Asano has brought in for the occasion?

Taking advantage of the parkour training they have received, Okajima proposes a shorter route to school utilizing jumping across the tops of buildings. Some of his classmates are skeptical, as Karasuma told them to only use that training on the mountain. But some are enthusiastic and go at it with a will. Until things go suddenly wrong and someone gets hurt. Now they have to pay the price for what they have done.

I really liked the pole pull-down story, watching the students strategize on how to win without relying on brute strength. It kind of reminded me of an episode of Alice in Borderland I saw recently, where the players were up against the King of Hearts, and had to accumulate more points than the opponents but it wasn’t as simple as it sounded and strategy was key. Also, the story with the old man on the bicycle ended up being very heartwarming. We saw Koro Sensei get truly angry with his students for the first time. Even Kamasura was disgusted at their careless behavior.

Looking forward to the next volume!

 

 

Book Review: Zombie-Loan, Vol 3 by Peach-Pit

 

Zombie-Loan, Vol 3      

Author: Peach-Pit

Publisher: Yen Press

American release date:  June 17, 2008

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Fantasy Manga/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Chika and Shito arrive too late to prevent Michiru and Koyomi from being kidnapped! They find themselves in the midst of the Butterfly’s fans, who are certainly a strange lot. Sitting around the dinner table with them gives Michiru an eerie feeling, especially when one person announces there is a heretic among them! Panicking, Michiru attempts to rouse the slumbering Koyomi, only to discover  that it is Yomi who responds to her frantic pleas. And then the cavalry arrives, aka Shito and Chika!

One of the fans escapes, and Michiru says she noticed a black ring around his neck, so the boys are up to going after him. Koyomi is in no condition to come with, but they call Yuuta to come and get her and off they go! They follow him into a decrepit abandoned building. Turns out this isn’t just any old fan of the Butterfly – it’s the man himself! And, even better, he has become a god!  Shades of Caligula!

Or is he?

Michiru is concerned about Chika. He seems understandably down after recent shocking events. She wants to help, but his request to sleep in her room throws her for a loop! Shito finds himself stuck with him when Michiru refuses.

The Chancellor decides everyone needs a chance to relax, so she sponsors a trip for everyone to the hot springs, including the Ferryman! Yay! But things take an unexpected turn when they arrive at a hotel that was shut down 27 years ago because of rumors of ghosts on the premises. Michiru’s room is next to Shito and Chika’s, and she can hear that, as usual, they are arguing. So she retreats to the hot springs to find Koyomi has arrived before her. Except it isn’t Koyomi, it’s Yomi, and she’s… well-developed. Which is a little intimidating for Michiru. And Yomi is so…touchy feely!

An impartial lottery decides Michiru and Shito have to go to the store to buy ingredients for dinner. But of course, nothing is simple with them, and trouble is never far behind.

I am really enjoying this series, and I like all the characters. This volume has an unexpected and horrific betrayal! Never saw that coming. The relaxation trip is pretty cute  and the cliffhanger leaves us wondering what is going to happen to Shito? Can’t wait for the next book!

 

 

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #80 (16.4)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

After a surprising heart-to-heart with Ethan's older brother, Vinnie and Ethan leave him to his mother and spend some time with Uncle Benny. See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #80 (16.4)

We found Ethan’s Uncle Benny in the kitchen, putting away some dishes. Obviously helping his sister with her daily routine. I couldn’t have stopped my snicker if I’d tried…and I confess, I didn’t try very hard. The man was wearing a ruffled green plaid apron—obviously Maureen’s—but how incongruous it appeared on his rugged frame, especially with that ginger beard. Luckily for me , he didn’t take my laugh in the wrong way, giving us both a huge grin.

Then he turned immediately serious. “Everything okay out there?” I had to guess he had overheard the same thing Maureen had but had elected to give them their privacy, much as we had.

“It will be,” Ethan replied. “It will be.”

Benny nodded as he removed the apron and set it on a hook on the wall. We had carried our dishes in from the porch. Ethan automatically reached for my empty glass, but I beat him to the punch and helped myself to his instead.

“I have this,” I insisted. “My mama raised me right.” I gave him a quick wink before carrying them to the sink. I quickly washed both and placed them upside down into the dish drainer by the side of the sink so they could dry.

“Looks like you have him well-trained.” Now it was Benny’s turn to snicker, and I couldn’t exactly blame him. Turnabout is fair play, after all.

Before Ethan had a chance to respond, my smart mouth had to open. “In ways you can’t even imagine.” Did I really just say that?

We all laughed at that, breaking the solemn mood, at least for the moment. Ethan suggested we sit in the living room, which idea Benny and I seconded. We were just getting settled when the sound of the back door, followed by an excited yip, announced our pup’s impending arrival moments before he barreled into the room. I was curious to see which one of us he would favor with his presence, but he was playing equal opportunity pup today, and bounced back and forth between the three of us for pets and rubs. Probably trying to gauge which he liked the best before he made his decision. In the end, he settled on Ethan’s lap in serene contentment.

Maureen wasn’t far behind. She was alone, so I assumed Joey was collecting himself outside and might possibly join us later. Maybe. Her eyes seemed suspiciously damp, but no one commented on that. Besides, she didn’t seem unhappy, so hopefully whatever was said between them had done them both some good.

“I know y’all are heading out tomorrow, so I took the liberty of inviting Sarah to come over tonight. And Troy and Brendan too.”

Well, this was her house, of course she had the right to have whatever guests she chose. Not like we would be complaining at seeing Ethan’s sister as well as our friends once more before we took off for Atlanta. Well, Troy and Brendan were coming with, but still. They were our closest friends. I would be sad to say goodbye to Maureen and Sarah and little Alex, but truth be told, I was ready to get back to work. Waiting for something that might not even happen was driving me crazy.

Too bad we had an appointment with crazy the next day.

 to be continued

Go see what the other Briefers are up to!

We found Ethan’s Uncle Benny in the kitchen, putting away some dishes. Obviously helping his sister with her daily routine. I couldn’t have stopped my snicker if I’d tried…and I confess, I didn’t try very hard. The man was wearing a ruffled green plaid apron—obviously Maureen’s—but how incongruous it appeared on his rugged frame, especially with that ginger beard. Luckily for me , he didn’t take my laugh in the wrong way, giving us both a huge grin.

Then he turned immediately serious. “Everything okay out there?” I had to guess he had overheard the same thing Maureen had but had elected to give them their privacy, much as we had.

“It will be,” Ethan replied. “It will be.”

Benny nodded as he removed the apron and set it on a hook on the wall. We had carried our dishes in from the porch. Ethan automatically reached for my empty glass, but I beat him to the punch and helped myself to his instead.

“I have this,” I insisted. “My mama raised me right.” I gave him a quick wink before carrying them to the sink. I quickly washed both and placed them upside down into the dish drainer by the side of the sink so they could dry.

“Looks like you have him well-trained.” Now it was Benny’s turn to snicker, and I couldn’t exactly blame him. Turnabout is fair play, after all.

Before Ethan had a chance to respond, my smart mouth had to open. “In ways you can’t even imagine.” Did I really just say that?

We all laughed at that, breaking the solemn mood, at least for the moment. Ethan suggested we sit in the living room, which idea Benny and I seconded. We were just getting settled when the sound of the back door, followed by an excited yip, announced our pup’s impending arrival moments before he barreled into the room. I was curious to see which one of us he would favor with his presence, but he was playing equal opportunity pup today, and bounced back and forth between the three of us for pets and rubs. Probably trying to gauge which he liked the best before he made his decision. In the end, he settled on Ethan’s lap in serene contentment.

Maureen wasn’t far behind. She was alone, so I assumed Joey was collecting himself outside and might possibly join us later. Maybe. Her eyes seemed suspiciously damp, but no one commented on that. Besides, she didn’t seem unhappy, so hopefully whatever was said between them had done them both some good.

“I know y’all are heading out tomorrow, so I took the liberty of inviting Sarah to come over tonight. And Troy and Brendan too.”

Well, this was her house, of course she had the right to have whatever guests she chose. Not like we would be complaining at seeing Ethan’s sister as well as our friends once more before we took off for Atlanta. Well, Troy and Brendan were coming with, but still. They were our closest friends. I would be sad to say goodbye to Maureen and Sarah and little Alex, but truth be told, I was ready to get back to work. Waiting for something that might not even happen was driving me crazy.

Too bad we had an appointment with crazy the next day.

 

Saturday is Horror Day #121 - Wrong Turn 2: Dead End

 Wrong Turn 2: Dead End

A retired military commander (Henry Rollins) is chosen to host a simulated survival reality show that is meant to mimic a post-apocalyptic world. The contestants converge in a remote section of West Virginia wilderness. Unfortunately for them, they have landed themselves in the midst of a deformed, inbred cannibal family who want to eat them for dinner. Now survival is actually an imperative.

That is the plot in a nutshell. Put together a bunch of stereotypes, including a jock, a lesbian, a beauty queen, a sex hungry immature punk... well, you get the idea. Bad, very bad writing, and little to no actual plot make this one of the worst films ever. Should have gone straight to the garbage and just completely remade with a totally different production team.

Bear McCreary (of Outlander fame, among other works), wrote the music, so I won't diss that. But make no mistake, this is a horrible movie. The inbred cannibal movie is so over the top deformed and half-witted that it's just ridiculous. They grunt rather than speak. Except for the dinner scene where they say grace and one of them actually says amen. Also be warned that there is a great deal of gore in this film, and in one scene a woman is sliced in two (and boy was that believable - not!)

While I liked the first movie in the series, this one definitely took a wrong turn (yes, pun intended). If you plan to watch the series, as I am doing, skip this one. You won't be missing anything. The only reason I'm giving it the rating I'm giving it is because of Henry Rollins, who did his part. I give this film .5 Stars. Yes, as in less than one. Be warned.

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #79 (16.3)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Things have taken a strange turn indeed. Who would have ever thought Vinnie and Ethan would be having a heart-to-heart with Joey, of all people? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't  forget to see what the other Briefers are up to! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #79 (16.3)

“What were you mad about?” Ethan asked cautiously. I didn’t look up, afraid to be seen as staring at Ethan’s brother. I wasn’t even sure he’d want to answer the question. But his comment seemed like a cry for help almost. I don’t think I’d ever seen Joey so...what was the right word? Vulnerable. Human, even.

“A lot of things.” Joey sighed. I noticed he never stopped stroking Benny. Not that our pup was likely to complain. He seemed pretty comfortable right where he was. “You. Sarah. Mom. Dad. Heather.” He paused for a moment, and no one broke the silence. “Maybe me most of all, I dunno.”

Wow, that was candor I never expected to hear from Joe Jr.

“I was a disappointment to him. I wasn’t as good as you. He kept holding you up as an example of what I should be. But he never wanted to help me, even when I asked. Too busy being the great and wonderful minister. The saint of Imperial, Georgia.” He paused and I darted a quick glance in his direction. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be struggling not to cry. I glanced at Ethan, and his expression was rather stricken, as if his brother’s words pained him to hear.

“He even turned me down when I asked to work with him at the church. I thought maybe we could bond that way, but he wasn’t interested. And then he went and hired Heather.” Now his voice held a bitter note. “My own wife. I think he loved her more than he loved me.”

Whoa, what was there to say to that?

“He got me the agency, yeah. My reward for marrying Heather. But then he…then he…” Whatever he’d been about to say became lost in choking sobs that wracked his thin frame.

I glanced at Ethan in alarm, but he was already in motion. He closed the distance between them and threw his arms around his brother and held him while he cried. I wiped my own tears at the sight, feeling helpless to do anything but offer my silent support.

After a few moments, Joey drew back and nodded, as if to say he was okay, and Ethan returned to his seat beside me.

Joey sniffled a little, before speaking again. “I wanted to make you jealous,” he said.

Ethan’s eyes widened, probably in shock. “Jealous?” he echoed.

“Yeah. That I could get such a beautiful girl, and you couldn’t. That was before I knew…well, you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” Ethan said softly.

“And I wanted to show Dad that I was better than you. So I married her for all the wrong reasons. That didn’t mean he had to—”

“Joey, I don’t think,” Ethan began, but he was interrupted by a quiet voice behind us.

“He didn’t.”

When had Ethan’s mother Maureen come outside? And how much had she heard?

We all turned toward her as she approached us, her attention focused on her aching older son.

“Mom, I didn’t mean,” Joey tried to backpedal but Maureen wouldn’t have any of that. She eased herself next to him on the step and reached for her son’s hand.

“It was the perception,” she said. “The appearance. Call it a mid-life crisis, or what have you. It was all illusion. There was nothing there, I know it. But shame on me for allowing it to go on as long as it did without putting my foot down. I failed you, Joey, and I know it.”

“It’s not your fault, Mom,” Joey protested. “It was Dad.”

“It was both of us. And it was Heather. I’m sorry if their pretense destroyed your marriage.” Her voice sounded as if it were full of unshed tears. I was beginning to think we shouldn’t be here for this. Or me, at least.

“No, no, don’t blame yourself. I should never have married her. I didn’t love her. I still don’t. I was just…I was mad that she dumped me like that. Made me feel like more of a loser than I was before.”

“Don’t ever say that about yourself!” Maureen sounded fierce. “You are not a loser. You are my son, and I love you and am proud of you, of all of you. You’re just going through some rough times, that’s all. But you can always count on my support. And your father’s, whether he shows it often enough or not.”

Joey heaved a large sigh, as if he’d just been relieved of the weight of the world, and leaned in toward his mother. She wrapped her arms around him.

That’s when Ethan nudged me, nodding toward the door. I immediately understood. We rose and silently tiptoed back into the house, leaving them alone, with the sleeping Benny sandwiched comfortably in between them.

 to be continued

Now go see what's happening with the other Briefers! 

Cia Nordwell

Saturday is Horror Day #120 - Predestination

 Predestination

The Barkeep (Ethan Hawke) isn't the bartender he seems to be. He is actually a temporal agent, who plans to retire...but first he has to catch the one criminal who has managed to elude him for years. And he has to do it before he kills more people than ever before. Known as the Fizzle bomber, he has chased him through time. Of course, the Barkeep has the advantage of knowing when in time to find him. But so far, all his efforts have been for naught.

As a bartender, it's his job to meet many people, and it's not surprising that he strikes up conversations with many of his customers. While speaking to one person, he learns that he writes under the title of The Unmarried Mother (Sarah Snook). But The UM says he has a even more surprising story to tell. The Barkeep is skeptical, so they place a wager, and the tale begins. The Barkeep is shocked at the first words, as the UM says "When I was a little girl..."

Predestination is a story about time travel. I won't go into any more detail, because I don't want to give 

spoilers. This film should be appreciated without any forehand knowledge. I will say this about that - Predestination blew my mind...multiple times. I didn't see the twists coming, and I've never seen anything like this before.

This movie is well-written and directed, but I have to give the greatest kudos to Sarah Snook for her performance.

I honestly went into this with few expectations, didn't really know what it was about other than time travel, not a particular fan of Ethan Hawke, but I came away a believer. This film definitely warrants a second look at least, and I'll be glad to do that. See for yourself and let me know if you agree. I give this film 4.5 Stars.