Month: September 2018

Movie Review: Smallfoot – Spoiler Version

Julie Gilbert children's, Family, Fantasy, Movie Reviews , , , , ,
movie poster

Summary:

Migo (Channing Tatum) gets banished from his village high in the Himalayan Mountains when he claims to have seen the fabled smallfoot. It’s not so much what he’s claiming, but the fact that he’s going against the Stones, which is where the village keeps all its rules and laws.

Setup:

Essentially, this village of yetis seems to do meaningless tasks every day. The Stones have become venerated as absolute truth and challenging them is unheard of. Until it happens. At the prompting of some friends/fellow outcasts, Migo sets out to prove there are smallfoots in the world, so he can be accepted back home.

He finds one and takes him back, causing quite the uproar. The village elder (Stonekeeper; Common) gives him a talking to that changes everything for him. He basically lets the kid in on the secret that yes, smallfoot exist, but they’re dangerous. The Stones are lies meant to protect the villagers from the truth so they won’t explore, question, and be killed by the vicious savages.

In the end, Percy (the smallfoot; James Corden) gets what he wants—fame—but sacrifices it for the sake of saving the yetis’ secret existence. The yeti decide that living in fear isn’t the way, so they reach out to the humans. There’s a standoff, but after a tense moment, the friendship forged along the way helps bridge the gap. Presumably they live happily ever after.

Additional Comments:

– As a science teacher I noticed there are quite a few clips in here you could use in a class. It raises a lot of great questions about asking questions and daring to explore even though the masses are against you.

– The humor relies heavily upon slapstick type throughout the film, but there are a few things worth laughing aloud. The miscommunications from the language barrier are hilarious.

– Story: Percy basically gets everything he wants but then sacrifices it for the sake of the truth. Things work out, but there’s definitely that classic “hero going down” moment right before things shift from “aww” to “oh, yay.”

– Favorite part: The Stonekeeper’s chat with Migo.

– It’s definitely a modern movie shouting the party lines of Hollywood. Question everything. Reach out and accept others.

– Maybe I should give the songs a second chance, but I still think they sacrificed appeal and repeatability for lyrics that fit the moment. There’s no “Let it Go” equivalent in here that has both message and story application.

Conclusion:

It started off fluffy, but once past the midpoint, the story turned deeper and got significantly better. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was a perfect movie, but the fact that it ends strong is good all around.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science.

Spirit’s Bane: Two guardian angels get on Satan’s bad side.


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Movie Reviews 4.5/5

Julie Gilbert Family, Fantasy, Movie Reviews , , , ,

Summary:

Slow start and stellar finish with some interesting moral questions thrown in.

As much as possible, I go into movies without expectations. I was totally prepared to be underwhelmed here, yet I received a pleasant surprise. Migo (Channing Tatum; a yeti) starts to question when a chance encounter with a smallfoot (a human).

 

Additional Comments:

– Humor 4/5: They found a few comic relief moments for the mountain yak/goat.

– Moral Questions/ Messages 5/5: Is there every a “good” reason to lie to your people, your friends, or yourself? The moral messaging got a tad heavy-handed at times, but they found a way to sort of lighten the touch at the end of the movie. It’s got a decent “can’t we all get along” sort of message.

– Characters 4/5: Some of the side characters were kind of forgettable. Not sure I even remember the father’s name. Migo’s the main character. Meechee’s (Zendaya) the primary female character. Percy (James Corden) something or other is the human (smallfoot).

– Family friendly?: Yes. It’s geared towards kids, but there are a few lines that adults will get and kids probably won’t. Biggest laugh from the kids was that part from the trailer where Migo gets crushed between the halves of the rock mountain.

– Story 4/5: Not going to lie, the beginning had some seriously slow points. I want to say roughly the first third of the movie had pacing issues, but after the midpoint, things picked up nicely. Even though the story’s somewhat predictable, they threw in some twists that totally worked. Sorry I can’t be more specific in a spoiler-free review.

–  Songs 3/5: The lyrics have deeper meanings that fit the story perfectly, but they’re not exactly catchy, sing-in-the-shower songs. First song was this movie’s version of “Everything is Awesome.” Second gave off some serious Pocahontas vibes (“Colors of the Wind”). Third was forgettable. The most powerful line of song probably came from the Stonekeeper’s main one (“Now you know”).

Conclusion:

Worth seeing with friends and family. Probably good for 2-3 viewings, but perhaps not ones in theaters. I didn’t see much that demanded a big screen to be truly impressed. Probably wouldn’t have even bothered with the movie if I didn’t have A-list.

 

 

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science.

Spirit’s Bane: Two guardian angels get on Satan’s bad side.


OR

Movie Reviews 4/5: Warcraft

Julie Gilbert Fantasy, Movie Reviews , , , , ,
Don’t own the pic, but it is very pretty. Nice symmetry.

 

Spoilers, definitely spoilers

Summary:

If you’re not a fan of the game it probably doesn’t make much sense. Following the characters is a tad hard because you can’t readily tell who is who from the start. I still can’t tell you the name of the baby mage. There’s a heck of a lot of CGI. That makes it look a tad hokey, but most special effects work nicely. I especially like the magic spells, including teleportation.

Disclaimer:

Sorry, my spellings are probably gonna be atrocious here.

Additional Comments:

– Durotan and his pregnant wife are first characters seen. Orc clans are gathered. Prisoners used for opening portal. First thing is a baby born? Healing by blood magic. That’s weird.

– Switch to Ironforge to get a message. Switch to Stormwind. Mage is a captive. Wants to examine a body. Tells dude in charge to summon a guardian. Can’t tell his name. It is a darn good thing they label things.

– Horde busy sacking villagers.

– Anduin Lothar climbs a ton of steps to meet the Guardian, Medivh

– Boy mage wanders the library and finds a magic book. Powers nicely done. Barrier.

– Gorona? Orcs aren’t from this world. Taking prisoners to open the portal to bring the horde.

– The orcs shoot the breeze. Need to defeat Goldan. Wants to run a coup with the humans help.

– Gorona to lead them to the horde. Her name means cursed.

– Brief glimpse of Dalaran. Yay.

– Durotan tells them of his intentions… wants to meet the king.

– The queen gives Gorona a dagger to protect herself from danger.

– Guardian burns the kid’s research. Tells him to protect the king.

– The orcs were summoned from the Azeroth side of the gate.

– Durotan and Lothar meet. Guardian watches.

– King Llane wants king to attack the camp in two days.

– Guardian calls down a lightning storm. Lothar’s son is on the wrong side. Callen killed in front of Lothar. Guardian has green eyes.

– Durotan called out as a traitor.

– Gorona is afraid that Lothar will hate her. The guardian has a heart to heart with her. Gives her a blue magic flower and teleportation to somewhere. Still not sure what the blue flower was about.

– Lothar wants them to fight. Medivh returns and speaks to the council. He gets himself thrown in jail. Lothar tells Gorona to not trust Medivh.

– Mage turns the guard to a sheep. Ha, I do remember loving that spell. Recruits Lothar to kill a demon.

– Baby mage (Khadgar – that is NOT clear in the movie even thought he probably says his name several times) kills the demon.

– Lothar tries to bring back the kings body. Ends up in a duel with a new baddie.

 

Random:

– Baby orc is adorable.

– I like the map. Very pretty. Table map.

– music by guy who does game of thrones.

– The giant battle was nicely done.

– Gryphons are cool.

Conclusion:

It’s no Lord of the Rings, but the movie is surprisingly entertaining. The plot’s fairly complicated. The end and the beginning have a nice symmetry.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Golden City Captives.


OR



Movies Reviews 3.5/5: The House with a Clock in its Walls (mild spoilers ahead)

Julie Gilbert Family, Fantasy, Movie Reviews, Paranormal , ,

 

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary:

An orphaned boy moves to an old mansion with his bachelor uncle. There are clocks everywhere so the noise might drown out the sound of ticking from the walls. The uncle’s next door neighbor is a once-powerful witch who hasn’t been able to perform meaningful magic in quite some time.

 

Additional Comments:

  • There are very long stretches of boringness here. There was a sappy part in the middle of the movie that had me muttering “I hate this movie so much.” It redeemed itself for the most part by the end.
  • The humor is sometimes on point and sometimes just tedious. (Like the third instance of the griffin poops)
  • It’s well-acted but I don’t think there was much of a script to work with.
  • Most plot points are predictable.
  • The special effects are fine, very cool in most cases, but some of the choices were disturbing, like baby body only/adult head. That’s just weird, not funny, just weird.
  • The big reveals at the end worked to a certain extent.
  • Has one of the clunkiest titles I’ve ever seen in a movie or a book. Functional, not magical by any stretch.

 

Conclusion:

Strange, pre-Halloween, semi-for-kids movie with decent moral messages. Worth seeing once. Had vibes like Ms. Perigrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, but for some reason, I enjoyed that movie more.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Want to dive deeper into the battle of good vs evil? Check out Spirit’s Bane. Two guardian angels get on Satan’s bad side.


OR


Audiobook Reviews 4.45/5 Sensation by Kevin Hardman (A Superhero novel)

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Audiobooks, Fantasy, superhero , ,

Summary:

Jim wants to be a superhero. He’s got the powers, a heck of a lot of them actually. But his trials went pretty awry. Fate or whatnot draws him into a world saving/dooming conflict.

Additional Comments:

– Plot 4/5 Overall, it follows a pretty logical path while still maintaining some unique pieces of worldbuilding.

– Worldbuilding 4.5/5: It actually makes a lot of sense for a story based solely around the idea of superheroes. It doesn’t delve deeply into the why of there being powers, but where possible, it tries to explain and keep semi-true to science.

– Characters 4/5: Jim’s mostly likable.

– Cover: Very cool, but doesn’t quite fit the story. For one thing, the guy on the cover looks 30, the main character here is 16.

– Narration 4/5: I love the narrator’s voice and would definitely listen to more books by him, but his voice is a tad mature for voicing the first person pov of a 16 year old kid.

– Overall 4/5: Was completely awesome until the end where it made a distinct point of hitting nearly every one of the superhero clichés. The main character actually has a 5 minute conversation with himself over how cliché his life has become and says he’s okay with that.

– I have not heard many superhero stories, but this definitely ranks among the highest of them. It stays true to the genre without throwing in randomness. It’s YA friendly.

Conclusion:

If you like the superhero genre, this is definitely one to check out.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science or Ashlynn’s Dreams if you want more kid heroes. These don’t wear capes, but they still have some pretty awesome powers.


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Audiobook Reviews 4/5: Broken Branches by Brenda M. Spalding

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Author Resource, ghosts, Paranormal, romance, women's fiction , ,

 

Narrated by Eliza Wethers

4/5 Romance Mystery with Hints of Paranormal

*mild spoilers possible

Summary:

Megan Calloway loses her grandmother in a tragic accident. After going to her gran’s house to hold the funeral and close out her affairs, Megan’s not entirely convinced it was an accident. Mysterious things are still happening around the house.

 

Additional Comments:

  • Characters (3.5/5 stars): They’re believable, if somewhat ridiculous. Amanda and Zach were kind of superfluous.
  • Plot (3/5 stars): Have these people never heard of a locksmith? First break-in, okay, scary, but do the instinctive but stupid thing of investigating. Second break-in, what part of first one didn’t sink in enough to say, “hey, probably should change my locks?” Third break-in, really? Also, the costume party was an excellent addition to the plot, but the actual costumes people picked were painfully cliché in a few cases, which I won’t name to avoid spoilers.
  • Romance (3/5): I’m not a big romance fan, but I would have bought the relationship a whole lot more if it didn’t begin during this book. Even if it had started a few months before the opening, it would have made a lot more sense. Do people really meet and sleep with somebody in 24 hours? I mean when they don’t intend it as a one-night stand.
  • Narration (4.5/5): Good distinction between characters. Great accents.
  • Content Warnings: There are several adult scenes that don’t quite fade to black. That would place this on the very edge of being what I’d consider clean. A few curses worked in at appropriate points (at least they’re not flung about just for the heck of it.)
  • Paranormal aspects seemed out of place. They popped up at sporadic points around the book, which was otherwise very normal. Some people will find that charming. Don’t get me wrong, some of my favorite books are paranormal and genre mixing can be great for a story. Still, I found it odd here.
  • Don’t think the cover fits very well. It’s got too many literary vibes, not enough paranormal.

Conclusion:

If you like romance/mystery mixes with bits of paranormal, this is the book for you.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Romance and mystery your thing? Check out The Kiverson Case. (A pair of FBI agents have it out with a man who likes to play games.)


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Audiobook Reviews: 4/5 Babble by Orrin Jason Bradford

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, dystopia, scifi , , , , ,

Narrated by Meg Price

Summary:

A mix of a fantasy and a low-speed chase story. Angela Cagle tries to keep her son safe by running away with him.

Additional Comments:

  • Don’t read the book blurb! It actually explains way too much.
  • New cover is intriguing but makes it look like fantasy not scifi. Having heard the story, it definitely clashes with the vibe of the cover.
  • 90% of the story’s about Bobbie and his mother being chased by Homeland security agents and the kid’s distraught, not-entirely-pleasant father. About 10% concerns what’s written on the book blurb. But it’s more fun if it unfolds organically.
  • Characters 4/5: Lifelike and sympathetic. You love who you’re supposed to love and hate whom you’re supposed to hate. A few fall in a gray area. There were also a couple of characters whose involvement was so slim and rarely mentioned that it was hard to picture their relevance. (The mysterious man pulling strings for one.)
  • Plot 3.5/5: The chase follows some logic. Only a few places of mystical intervention happen to get the players where they’re supposed to be. The Homeland Security agent’s involvement is a huge stretch, but at least it’s addressed a few times.
  • Content Warnings: Contains a few curse words and at least one scene I’d consider too adult to label it a “clean” book. Also contains a scene or two of torture.
  • Pacing 3/5: It could have unfolded much quicker. The scenes from Bobbie’s point of view, especially those in other lands will charm most people, but I found them distracting and pointless. Perhaps it’s just the fact that I don’t particularly have an affinity for any of the worlds he visited.
  • Ending 5/5: Love the wrapup. It leaves room for more but gives one a sense of closure.
  • The narration’s great.

Conclusion:

Enjoyable if you can deal with the stuff in the content warnings.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Want more real world scifi? Check out Ashlynn’s Dreams. (A genetically altered kid learns how to shape dreams.)


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4/5 A Simple Favor – Dark, Funny, Twisted

Julie Gilbert drama, Movie Reviews, thriller, women's fiction , , ,
This is the official movie poster.

 

Summary:

On the surface, a simple case of a worried single mother trying to find her missing friend. Deeper, full of twist and turns and secrets that make the story quite a soap opera.

Aside: I liked Henry Golding better in Crazy Rich Asians. He’s still good here, but his character is less likable.

This is a movie with a simple title and very complicated setup.

 

Additional Comments:

– The three main actors/actresses, Anna Kendrick (Stephanie), Blake Lively (Emily), and Henry Golding (Sean) all did stellar jobs through the ups and downs of this story.

– Odd genre compilation: It’s super dark one minute and light and fluffy the next.

– Story 4/5: I did enjoy most of the twists in the story. I liked that it kept you guessing.

– End 3.5/5: The text that simulates true story documentaries was kind of a cliché touch. The text itself didn’t take itself seriously, but I think there are like 40 seconds of black screen with text about the “where are they now” stuff.

– The two young actors who play Nicky and Miles are adorable…and handled their roles well. Still (soap box moment for me) I’m not a fan of any movie that has a 5/6 year old portrayed dropping f-bombs. That’s just sad.

– Dark comedy: The movie contains quite a few moments of dark humor.

– Content Warnings: Definite for adults. This one dropped so many f-bombs within the first few minutes and sustained that pace throughout. There are some adult scenes, relatively tastefully presented both in flashback and current state of being.

Conclusion:

Not my usual fare, but interesting to watch once.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

If you’re looking for slightly cleaner and a different kind of twisted, check out Scratched Off. An FBI agent squares off with a serial killer. New Release!

Try Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts.

Audiobook Reviews: 4/5 Dante’s Gift by Aubrey Wynne

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, historical, romance , , ,

 

Narrated by Tom Jordan

Summary:

Two love stories woven into one. Present tale: A girl isn’t quite sure she wants to commit to the perfect guy because his grandmother suddenly becomes a part of the picture. Past tale: An Italian girl meets an America GI in the winddown and aftermath of WWII.

Additional Comments:

  • I’m not a huge fan of stories that bounce from the present to the past, but this was pretty well-done.
  • Choosing a male narrator for the book is a pretty bold move, but Tom Jordan did a lovely job with it.
  • Characters 4/5: They’re pretty well fleshed out, but I don’t remember their names. Dante’s the dog in the past story. That much I remember because the title didn’t make much sense until the last third of the story. I remember liking the BFF of the present day female lead.
  • The cover’s a bit busy, but it makes sense later.
  • Conflicts 3.5/5: The romantic conflicts aren’t that mind blowing, but they work.

Conclusion:

A worthwhile romance to listen to any time.

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Want more mystery and romance? Check out The Collins Case.


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Movie Reviews: Peppermint 4/5 stars *Should be no or mild spoilers at best

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, drama, Movie Reviews , ,
Don’t own the pic. Just got it off google because the movie poster has her looking down.
Official movie poster for Peppermint

 

Peppermint 4/5 Stars; Starring Jennifer Garner

Summary:

A misunderstanding causes a drug lord to order a hit on Riley North’s family. Her husband and daughter die. Justice misfires, so she sets out to get her own brand of revenge.

 

Additional Comments:

– One of my friends said it’s basically batman with a female protagonist.

– It’s largely predictable yet entertaining.

– Jennifer Garner with short hair reminds me of Julia Roberts back in the day. Not quite sure why.

– Film-wise, they pulled a lot of PTSD-esque shaky cam, which bothered me, but it’s a minor annoyance.

– This is one instance where I’m not quite sure the title actually fits the movie. Heck even Skid Row Angel fits better.

– It’s definitely a pro-vigilante flick. Seems that’s the way Hollywood has swung, strong female protagonist having none of the terrible hand dealt to her by fate.

– Like Taken, a bunch of nameless bad guys die horrific deaths.

  • The heroine doesn’t walk away unscathed very often. That’s a nice touch of semi-realism.

– There are bits of satisfying, grim humor stuck here and there. (Like when she stops at the home of another “soccer mom” she knew from her former life.)

– Content Warnings: strong language; lots of violence.

 

Conclusion:

Worth seeing once, maybe twice in a “here be mindless violence” sort of way. On the other hand, it does raise some moral questions should you desire to delve into that with your friends or family.

 

Associate links to follow…

(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

If you want to try a book with real angels, check out Spirit’s Bane. Also, way more kid-friendly.


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