Saturday is Horror Day #78 - Stay Out of the F***ing Attic, The Lift, Rec 4: Apocalypse

 Stay Out of the F***ing Attic

Albert Schillinger (Ryan Francis), Imani (Morgan Alexandria) and Carlos (Bryce Fernelius) are ex-cons and friends who have gone into the moving business together. They have a job at a creepy old house which requires them to pull an all-nighter in order to meet the client's deadline. Piece of cake, right? But there are things there that should never see the light of day and a simple job goes horribly wrong. Can these three survive the experience?

Okay, this is definitely a Grade B horror flick, but as those go, this one is entertaining even if the premise isn't exactly original. But it's done pretty well, the acting isn't bad, and it will keep you entertained. What more can you ask for? Watch it with a friend, maybe a bottle of wine, and try to guess the secrets of this strange house.

For example, when the villain is revealed, I swear he suddenly developed a thick German accent he didn't 

have before lol Seriously, no new ground is broken here, but it's a short and enjoyable film. I've reviewed far worse. I'll give this one 3 Stars

The Lift

With a title like the Lift, how could I resist? I mean, I work in the elevator industry after all! This is a Dutch film, about an elevator mechanic who is perplexed by the problems with the elevators in a new office building. They shouldn't be acting up but they are, and no one can figure out why.  He goes out of his way to solve the mystery, even teams up with a curious female journalist, and manages to alienate his wife in the process, putting himself at risk for unemployment as well.

This film is odd, kind of horror, but also kind of sci fi, and rather failing to make a decent hybrid. I think the problem is it took itself too seriously as we follow Adelaar (Huub Stapel) while he investigates whatever is going on. This film would have greatly benefited by some skilful editing. The pace is slow and tedious and it's too easy to lost interest in what's going on. The way the elevators work got on my nerves. There are three elevators, and they seem to open and close simultaneously, which is odd. Also, I'm not sure why there is a computer involved. 

This film may have had potential, but I can't even swear to that. I understand the lack of gore, it is  1983 after all, but it almost put me to sleep. I'll be kind and give this 2 Stars, but barely.

Rec 4: Apocalypse

Television reporter Angela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) can't believe her good fortune when she is rescued from the house of horrors that is the apartment building where she has been trapped with some horrible monsters! But her relief is short-lived when she finds herself being held against her will on a ship headed... where? She has no idea and no one is talking. Two of her rescuers are there, as well as an older woman who is looking for her family. She last saw them at the wedding,  but when she woke from a nap, they were gone!

To Angela's horror, she discovers that the virus that previously held her hostage has now appeared on the ship and is making inroads into the crew! Who are these doctors and why are they so adamant that they need to perform surgery on her?

Rec 4 takes up where Rec 2 & 3 ended. But now, instead of being sealed into an apartment building, the brave reporter is being held hostage in a ship  on the high seas, no clue as to their destination or what they want with her. The doctors on the ship want to operate on Angela, convinced she holds the key to what is going on. But the virus has gotten loose and the crew is turning ugly! Supposedly the last entry in the series, the ending might suggest otherwise. See what you think. I think this was a worthwhile successor to the franchise. I'll give it 3 Stars.

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 72 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 72      

Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: March 6, 2018

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

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Nanao picks up the sword her captain has kept hidden from her, but she is momentarily unable to move, too frightened. But Shunsui has her back, as always. The defeated Quincy, Lille, falls into the Soul Society, to the amazement of the Soul Reapers, vowing to take revenge on Kyoraku. But Kira is not about to let that happen!

Meanwhile, Byakuya cuts the head off another Quincy, but as they prepare to go, something untoward happens. Turns out this guy is Stern Ritter M – for Miracle – and he is Gerard Valkyrie! The miracle is that not only did he not die, but he has become massive!

Ichigo seems to be down for the count, supposedly poisoned by Nakk le Vaar, but appearances can be deceiving.  And in comes Yoruichi, who is determined to take le Vaar down a peg or two. And her little brother is right behind her. The Quincy tells Yoruichi that she can’t hurt him because he acquires immunity to everything. Hmm, what’s the solution to that?

Uryu returns to the Palace. Yhwach is sleeping, so Haschwalth has his powers. He confronts Uryu, proclaiming him a traitor, but Uryu says he has no evidence, so Haschwalth dares Ishida to prove he is no traitor. He has to kill Ichigo… in front of his friends. Has the moment of truth finally arrived?

So much happening, and only two volumes left! Everything needs to be resolved, but will it end well for our hero and his friends? One can only hope! Things can still go horribly wrong. I was worried about Shunsui but I think he’s okay, and Nanao was awesome! Watching Yoruichi in action was amazing, and the interaction between her and Kiskue was so cute! But most importantly, what I’ve been saying all along is about to be proven to be accurate, so huzzah! Anxious to see how this ends!

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #39 (8.2)

 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.

Nothing on this supposedly easy trip has been easy. Now Vinnie has received an anonymous threat? And then Sarah makes a request, but can they do what she asks, realistically? 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 #39 (8.2)

Of course we said nothing to the others, and we didn’t behave any differently, but I could tell Ethan was on high alert. And so was I, for that matter. I kept a close eye on vehicles that shared the road with us, but noticed nothing even remotely suspicious. Not long after we left Chattanooga, we crossed over into Georgia, and before we knew it we had reached Imperial. Had a short drive ever felt so long? I didn’t think so.

But when we got to Imperial, we encountered another situation which, in hindsight, perhaps I should have expected but didn’t. I know that’s because I never thought in terms of family, but still, I should have seen it coming.

It was Sarah who voiced what they were all probably thinking. “Benny, are you going to stop by and see Mom? I mean, you’re already here. And you guys are ahead of schedule, right?”

I didn’t know what to say. To be fair, the question hadn’t been addressed to either Ethan or me, even though it concerned us both.

“That would be nice, but I’m not sure.” Benny sounded reluctant, but I had a feeling that was more on our behalf and what it might mean for us to do something outside of the scope of our assignment than the actual visit. I also noticed she mentioned her mother but not her father. Understandable. Probably still bad blood there. I’m sure if he knew what we did, he’d have even less use for his brother-in-law, although I wasn’t entirely sure what I knew, to be honest. I was just going by appearances after all, but those seemed pretty damning, at least on the surface.

I stole a quick glance at Ethan. His face gave nothing away, but even so I could tell he was conflicted. I knew how much his family meant to him, and he had to know that his mother would love to be able to see her brother again after being apart for so long. She was such a sweet woman, even I didn’t want to disappoint her, and I wasn’t even her son.

I laid my hand on Ethan’s knee. “At the risk of butting in,” I began.

Even as I got the words out of my mouth, Ethan was shaking his head. “Don’t think like that, Vinny. You’re part of me, of us. You’re family now.”

I should have known he’d feel that way. Hadn’t he made that abundantly clear from the beginning, even before I was willing to admit there was a connection between us? From the back seat, I heard Sarah and Benny second his words. So emboldened, I continued. “Don’t you think we can stop by briefly so Benny can see your mom? I mean, we’re almost to Atlanta now, and we’ll just end up sitting in the hotel room for the next couple of days with nothing to do but watch TV and play cards.” Damn, I think I forgot to pack the cards.

“Give me a minute to think about it,” Ethan said. Well, at least it wasn’t a flat-out no, which meant there was hope.

After a few minutes that felt a lot longer, he finally replied. “Maybe that isn’t the worst idea. We can take that time to regroup, touch base with Anderson, maybe get a handle on what’s going on.”

“Yes, and you can let us know what’s going on too,” Sarah piped up. I’m pretty sure Ethan hadn’t meant for her to hear what he said, but he should have known better.

I watched as he glanced in the rearview mirror, and I knew he was looking at his twin before he released a soft sigh. “You’re probably right,” he said. “Do you want to call Mom and tell her we’re coming? In case she isn’t home or something?”

“Gladly, brother dearest,” Sarah happily agreed.

I couldn’t help but wonder what other members of the family besides Maureen we would have to endure? One could only hope…

 to be continued

Don't forget to see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

Book Review: Boys Run the Riot, Vol 3 by Keito Gaku

 

Boys Run the Riot, Vol 3     

Author: Keito Gaku

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

American release date: October 5, 2021

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/LGBTQ+/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

The unthinkable has happened to Ryo – he has been outed in a video by the Youtuber Wing! Apprehensive about going to school, he finds that people are interested in his brand. But some of the boys think it’s funny to be vulgar, so he walks away from them. After school, Ryo and Jin approach Tsubasa and request she delete the video, but she refuses because she says it’s against her policy as a content creator. Tsubasa and her cousin think the guys should be happy, because didn’t they get sales from the video? Now what are they going to do?

Ryo begins to skip school to avoid his fellow classmates. He is surprised when Tsubasa shows up outside of his house. As Ryo explains why he is upset, Tsubasa tries to comfort him and tell him he isn’t weird. When Ryo finally faces Chika, he is upset, not because she accepts him as he is, but because she makes him feel odd, like an “other”.  Then Chika tells Ryo he should lean on Tsubasa, because she gets him, which only frustrates him, unable to tell her how he feels about her.

At school, Chihiro accuses Jin of only becoming friends with Ryo in order to get next to Wing, but Jin refuses to accept the blame. The teacher is concerned about Ryo and wonders what she can do to help. Ryo shows up in class unexpectedly and asks to address his fellow students, explaining how he feels as transgender. He is wearing a male uniform and has a surprise underneath it.

Business at Boys Run the Riot is booming, with orders pouring in, but there are also a lot of requests for more collaboration, including clothing design, with Tsubasa. They examine their motives for what they are doing and  debate the matter between the three of them and decide to make a fresh start, without Tsubasa. Tsubasa has her own problems, including the fact that although she is out as a woman, people don’t realize she is a lesbian. She is warned that could be a career killer. She envies Ryo his strength. But a moment of drunkenness that ends up on the Internet threatens her sense of self, revealing how very perilous that is.

This volume is primarily concerned with both Ryo and Tsubasa and how they deal with their gender identities, especially as they relate to the people around them. Other people have made it difficult for them to be who they really are, but Ryo is stronger, and has better support. Tsubasa is surrounded by people who don’t understand her, other than her cousin. But that’s not surprising as she is still struggling to understand herself. But Yutaka says it beautifully, that Tsubasa is Tsubasa to him, not her gender. He wonders if maybe she is genderfluid, and gives her much to think about.

The point is that people are too obsessed with placing other people in pigeonholes and the answer to gender identity is not easy and it isn’t relevant when compared to what kind of person someone is inside. It’s more important that people love, it doesn’t matter who they love. I believe there is one volume left, looking forward to it.

Book Review: The Way of the Househusband, Vol 8 by Kousuke Oono

 

The Way of the Househusband, Vol 8     

Author: Kousuke Oono

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 16, 2022

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Comedy/168 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Sales at Torajiro’s crepe truck have plummeted, and the reason is Koharu, his sister.  She’s opened a rival truck called Lovely Donuts, which is taking Torajiro’s customers. What’s a guy to do but call on the only man who can save him…Tatsu?

Tatsu and Miku awake to find a winter wonderland just outside their door. But it’s the condensation that has Tatsu’s knickers in a twist! While Miku goes to work, Tatsu heads to the store to stock up in case things get worse. He runs across some men who are under orders from their boss to clear the area outside of his office, but they are having a tough time of it. Tatsu berates them for having the wrong equipment and sets them straight.

 Tatsu, Miku, and Masa get together for movie night. The only question is what to watch. Seems that everyone has different ideas and tastes.

Miku’s coworker persuades her to adopt his hamster, but since they have Gin, that doesn’t seem practical, so they try to present him to Masa as a gift. But Masa barely has enough for him to subsist on, let alone a pet. Tatsu’s old boss is also a no-go because of Pinky. While Tatsu tries to figure out what to do, the cops think they’ve finally caught him doing something illegal.

Miku is supposed to go golfing with a client, but she’s never golfed before. Tatsu tells her she’s in good hands with him and he’ll show her the ropes! He takes her golfing, but she finds the rules as he explains them to her probably don’t apply to her.

Tatsu and Miku run into Tora and Koharu. The crepe man claims to have a very hot product to show them, but he can’t do it there. So they arrange to meet on the mountain over the weekend. The product turns out to be a riverside tent sauna! Sounds like fun, right?

Tatsu and Masa and some of the guys head to the mountain to search for bamboo shoots. Tatsu reminds them that since it’s the boss’ mountain, he will need a cut of their haul too.  But when circumstances deal them a blow, and they’re left with almost nothing, how do they explain that to the boss?

Tatsu takes Miku and Masa to his favorite Chinese restaurant, which he says has a secret menu. The chef proudly shows them his newest dish, a Sichuan super spicy hot pot. Anyone who can finish it will get the dish for free. Of course the three of them are game! But can they do it?

Tatsu attends a crime prevention class, and he is most eager to assist the officer in charge with her demonstrations.

Tatsu is back and he’s in fine form with another round of hilarious hijinx! These stories never get old, and I love Tatsu so much! I hope this series runs for a long time to come. Look for bonus stories, one about zombies and the other an episode of Policure! If you don’t know what Policure is, you need to go back and start reading the series again lol

 

Saturday is Horror Day #77 - Doctor Sleep, Rec 3: Genesis

 Doctor Sleep

A group of people who call themselves the True Knot travel the country in search of sustenance, what they refer to as "steam". But perhaps the more familiar term might be shining, such as that possessed by Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor). The True Knot kill children and recruit others like them, and unfortunately have a long lifespan. On the other hand, Danny Torrance's life hasn't exactly gone the way he might have wished, even after he and his mother escaped to Florida after the occurrences at the Outlook Hotel in Colorado. But he decides to give sobriety a chance, thanks to a man he meets in a small town in New Hampshire, Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis). He works both at the train ride in the park and at a nursing home. With his gift and that of a prescient cat, he knows when patients are about to die and soothes them into the next world, gaining himself the nickname of Doctor Sleep.

One day he "meets" a young girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran) who has a similar gift. She has seen the 

death of a young boy. Using her clues, Danny and Billy find the boy's body. Now Danny is determined to wipe out the evil that is The True Knot, led by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) and her evil sidekick Crow Daddy (Zahn McClarnon). Danny doesn't want to get Abra involved, and neither does she want to tell her parents about what is going on. But neither one may have a choice. Rose sees them and she is coming for them.

Doctor Sleep is the sequel to The Shining, and there will be some familiar sights, especially when it comes to the Overlook Hotel. I think Ewan McGregor does a good job as Danny, and Kyliegh Curran is outstanding as Abra.  Rose the Hat is somewhat evil, as is Crow Daddy. And the story is interesting as we follow Danny's journey to redemption. He is able to communicate with Dick Hallorann  (Carl Lumbly), and we do get glimpses of Danny and his mother from years before. The movie itself is well done if slow-paced and long at about two and a half hours. Not surprising as there is a lot of material to cover from the book.

That being said, in my opinion it also lacked something from the book, and I believe this missing element is what makes most Stephen King novels hard to translate into film - there is no real heart. It may be technically correct but it lacks the emotional content the book evokes. That is just what I think of course and others might disagree. I am glad I watched it, but would probably not watch it again. The book is better, but that is true in  most cases. Still, it's a good film, so I'll give it 4 Stars.

Rec 3: Genesis

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Clara (Leticia Dolera) and Koldo (Diego Martin). Friends and family have gathered to wish the happy couple well. But unbeknownst to them, something strange has already begun when the groom's uncle is bitten at work by a seemingly dead dog that came back to life unexpectedly... and here we go again!

The third entry in this series differs slightly from the found footage format of its predecessors, but it does start prior to the start of the first two, and during them. If you'll recall from the first film, a couple clain that their dog is at the vet.  Apparently the vet has come down with the same mysterious illness as the rest of the wedding party. As the wedding guests begin to turn into zombies, the bride and groom, who find themselves separated, must find their way back to one another.

This film doesn't take itself quite so seriously as the others, but even so, it's a fun watch, as we wonder 

if the bride and groom will ever find their way back to one another.  There are some interesting secondary characters here, a mixture of drama and humor. 

I thought the film was interesting and entertaining. I give it 4 Stars/

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #38 (8.1)

 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.

A strange phone call has Vinnie and Ethan wondering what in the world is going on. The list of suspects is growing, but none of them make sense. 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 #38 (8.1)

“Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once…”

Momentarily at a loss for words, I made no response but listened as instructed by the mysterious voice.

“You should have died in Florida. You should have become gator chow, but you got lucky somehow. Your luck won’t hold forever, though, Delarosa. You can’t outrun Fate. Someday you’ll get what’s coming to you.” Almost as an afterthought, the caller added, “Beware the Ides of March,” before hanging up.

What the hell was that supposed to mean? My brain was trying to make sense of the insane message but not doing a great job of it.

“Vinnie, who was that?” Ethan nudged me out of my temporary stupor.

“What? Oh, wrong number,” I mumbled automatically. If the caller had intended to scare me, their cryptic words had had the opposite effect—I was angry. But I was afraid if I said anything, I might frighten Sarah and Benny, and I saw no sense in doing that.

I rose from the rocking chair and stretched, pretending a nonchalance I was far from feeling. “I think I’m going to hit the men’s room before we go.” I shot Ethan a significant look. Of course he picked up on it an immediately and sprang to his feet as well.

“Good idea, me too. Be right back.”

That was intended for his sister and uncle, of course. As we turned our steps away from the others, I could hear Sarah call out something that sounded like “have fun” but I wasn’t really listening.

Once inside the men’s room, I told Ethan what the mysterious caller had said. I think he was more frightened than I was. And angry. He requested to look at my phone so I surrendered it, even as I told him, “I didn’t recognize either the number or the voice. I just thought it was a telemarketer or something.” Although why I would answer such a call I don’t know. Perhaps because it was so unexpected, and I was feeling good about things at that moment, whereas normally I would have been more skeptical.

“I’m sure it was just a prank,” I tried to reassure Ethan, but he didn’t seem to be buying what I was selling. I couldn’t blame him. The wording had been too oddly specific for it not to have been aimed at me. How many other people had almost died in Florida recently, raise your hands? That would be me.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Ethan said. “I’m going to call that number back and see who answers.” But no one did. Not even when Ethan switched to his own phone, in case the caller recognized my number. Still no response.

“We have to tell Anderson,” Ethan said.

I couldn’t help but frown at the idea of involving our boss. At least not until we had something more concrete to tell him. One that involved something more than a mere phone call. Maybe I was afraid he would split us up for some reason. Just me being my usual paranoid self.

“Vinnie, I don’t think it was a joke. At least, we can’t treat it that way until we know more about what is going on. Anderson can trace the number. Plus he can check on you know who and see who he’s been in contact with. Visitors or correspondents, you know?”

I knew what he meant. I also knew that, according to people at the prison where he was currently being held without bail prior to his trial, good ol’ Chip was receiving a decent amount of fan mail from the outside world. No accounting for taste.

I reluctantly nodded my agreement, and Ethan made the phone call. He quickly apprised Anderson on what had happened, and our boss told him he’d get back to us as soon as possible. In the meantime, he said, carry one and just be careful. Ethan agreed and hung up.

“Vin, don’t worry,” Ethan said. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. Between the two of us, we can handle the situation, I have no doubt.”

When he said it like that, how could I doubt him? Even so…

“We can’t tell your sister,” I said. “Or your uncle.” I didn’t want to worry them. Benny had enough on his mind with the upcoming trial. And Sarah’s plate was full as well, what with baby daddy drama and possibly making a fresh start. I saw no reason to agitate either one.

“Agreed,” Ethan said.  He pulled me in for a hug, and for just a moment I let myself relax in his warmth.

“At first I thought it was that looney tunes actress, but now…” Nothing was making sense. The clues were all over the map. And then there was the attempt on Benny’s life at the hotel. What did any of it mean?

“I suspect everyone,” Ethan said. He kissed me softly and we hurried back to rejoin the others.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell