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Look who came in the mail today!
Nov. 9th, 2009 06:49 pmMy digital camera's battery is recharging so expect more photos later, but I just had to show off the awesomeness that is Little Frakkin' Starbuck. :D
Nov. 9th, 2009
movie thoughts: Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Nov. 9th, 2009 07:38 pmBefore I begin this "movie thoughts" post, I must say a few things:
1. I <3 the Raimi boys. I've been a fan of the Evil Dead films since I was in high school. My brother and I watched them a LOT. We loved that weird, twisted sense of humor mixed with wacky horror.
2. I'm a wuss. I don't really like scary movies. I don't like to watch people get murdered horribly. Not my thing. When I do attempt to watch movies like that, I end up up all night, listening to the "axe murderer" I hear sneaking around my apartment.
Okay, now that we got that out of the way:
"Drag Me To Hell" is the most hilarious horror movie I've seen since "Evil Dead 2". As my friend Damian described it, you spend most of the film going "AAAH! *blink blink* HAHAHAHA!". Sam & Ivan Raimi didn't set out to change the face of horror movies. Instead, they stuck with what they new - spooky mixed with silly - and "Drag Me To Hell" is a great 90 minute gasp/guffaw fest.
Christine Brown just wants to get some respect. She wants to get the promotion at her job. She wants to impress her long-term boyfriend (played by Justin "I'm a Mac!" Long) and his parents. She wants to leave behind her farm roots and be something more. So when an old woman comes into the bank begging for a third extension on her mortgage, Christine decides that she will show how tough she can be and denies the woman the loan. Unfortunately, this woman turns out to be a gypsy. She curses Christine - in 3 days, she will be DRAGGED INTO HELL!
There are just as many "gotcha" moments in this movie as there are Looney Tunes moments. If you have a friend (like me) who is a wuss and doesn't like realistic gore/realistic violence/slasher flicks but you want to watch something a little creepy, this is a good one to try.
It's actually really "clean" too. I mean, there is very little swearing, no big sex scene - it's just ridiculous scare gag after gag.
The great thing about this movie is how much it reminds me of the low-budget horror that was evil dead. Before studio started pumping money into this genre and realistic CGI effects took over, a bunch of rattling windows and eerie shadows were enough to give you goosebumps. When I finished the film, I felt entertained, but not so upset I couldn't go to bed.
Yeah it's cheesy. But I've decided that I like my horror with a helping of cheese. I'm sure the hardcore horror fans are laughing at me, but that's fine. Hardcore horror is not my thing. Give me a goofy Raimi Bros. flick any day!
My only complaint was the lack of Bruce Campbell cameo - but I guess he was shooting Burn Notice.
3.5 out of 5 stars
1. I <3 the Raimi boys. I've been a fan of the Evil Dead films since I was in high school. My brother and I watched them a LOT. We loved that weird, twisted sense of humor mixed with wacky horror.
2. I'm a wuss. I don't really like scary movies. I don't like to watch people get murdered horribly. Not my thing. When I do attempt to watch movies like that, I end up up all night, listening to the "axe murderer" I hear sneaking around my apartment.
Okay, now that we got that out of the way:
"Drag Me To Hell" is the most hilarious horror movie I've seen since "Evil Dead 2". As my friend Damian described it, you spend most of the film going "AAAH! *blink blink* HAHAHAHA!". Sam & Ivan Raimi didn't set out to change the face of horror movies. Instead, they stuck with what they new - spooky mixed with silly - and "Drag Me To Hell" is a great 90 minute gasp/guffaw fest.
Christine Brown just wants to get some respect. She wants to get the promotion at her job. She wants to impress her long-term boyfriend (played by Justin "I'm a Mac!" Long) and his parents. She wants to leave behind her farm roots and be something more. So when an old woman comes into the bank begging for a third extension on her mortgage, Christine decides that she will show how tough she can be and denies the woman the loan. Unfortunately, this woman turns out to be a gypsy. She curses Christine - in 3 days, she will be DRAGGED INTO HELL!
There are just as many "gotcha" moments in this movie as there are Looney Tunes moments. If you have a friend (like me) who is a wuss and doesn't like realistic gore/realistic violence/slasher flicks but you want to watch something a little creepy, this is a good one to try.
It's actually really "clean" too. I mean, there is very little swearing, no big sex scene - it's just ridiculous scare gag after gag.
The great thing about this movie is how much it reminds me of the low-budget horror that was evil dead. Before studio started pumping money into this genre and realistic CGI effects took over, a bunch of rattling windows and eerie shadows were enough to give you goosebumps. When I finished the film, I felt entertained, but not so upset I couldn't go to bed.
Yeah it's cheesy. But I've decided that I like my horror with a helping of cheese. I'm sure the hardcore horror fans are laughing at me, but that's fine. Hardcore horror is not my thing. Give me a goofy Raimi Bros. flick any day!
My only complaint was the lack of Bruce Campbell cameo - but I guess he was shooting Burn Notice.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Originally posted on orangerful.vox.com
SPRING BREAK WOO!
Well, that's what Cameron wishes he could say. Instead, he's just found out that he contracted mad cow disease and doesn't have much longer to live. But one day while he's sitting in his hospital bed, an angel in combat boots with hot pink hair arrives and tells him he must go and find the scientist who has the cure! She gives him a magical Disneyland E-Ticket which will keep his brain from melting while he's out of the hospital.
Sound wacky? Well, it is. Going Bovine by Libba Bray is a ridiculous book. But it is also a very sweet story.
There is so much I want to say about this book but 1) it's way too hard to explain beyond the above summary without making this post TL;DR and 2) it's much more fun to discover the crazy world along with Cameron rather than know what is coming.
Though, in a way, you know what is coming pretty quickly. You sort of know where the whole story is headed. But as with any great adventure, it is the journey that matters most. And this journey has action, adventure, and really wild things. And even though it is a long book, I found myself missing the characters after that final page.
If you're in the mood for a story that is truly ri-donk-ulous, Going Bovine is a great read.
Well, that's what Cameron wishes he could say. Instead, he's just found out that he contracted mad cow disease and doesn't have much longer to live. But one day while he's sitting in his hospital bed, an angel in combat boots with hot pink hair arrives and tells him he must go and find the scientist who has the cure! She gives him a magical Disneyland E-Ticket which will keep his brain from melting while he's out of the hospital.
Sound wacky? Well, it is. Going Bovine by Libba Bray is a ridiculous book. But it is also a very sweet story.
There is so much I want to say about this book but 1) it's way too hard to explain beyond the above summary without making this post TL;DR and 2) it's much more fun to discover the crazy world along with Cameron rather than know what is coming.
Though, in a way, you know what is coming pretty quickly. You sort of know where the whole story is headed. But as with any great adventure, it is the journey that matters most. And this journey has action, adventure, and really wild things. And even though it is a long book, I found myself missing the characters after that final page.
If you're in the mood for a story that is truly ri-donk-ulous, Going Bovine is a great read.
Originally posted on orangerful.vox.com
The Girl Who Played with Fire is the sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And, like so many seconds in a trilogy, it might be better than the first.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduced us to Mikhail Blomkvist, investigative journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, an intense young woman who makes her living in a less-than-honest way. While the mystery in the book is interesting, it is Blomkvist, Salander, and the rest of the characters that keep you reading (or, in my case, listening. Simon Vance is an AMAZING narrator.)
The Girl who Played with Fire takes those characters and puts them into much more immediate danger. The relationships they built in the first book are put to use and you find out more of their past.
Lisbeth Salander now ranks among my favorite characters from books. She is a bit crazy, a bit uneven, but there is something about her tenacity that makes her fascinating. I don't think I'd want to meet her, but I really like reading about her.
Be warned - this book has a MUCH bigger cliffhanger ending than the first one. And sadly, the final book is not out in the U.S. yet.
5 out of 5 stars. Wow.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduced us to Mikhail Blomkvist, investigative journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, an intense young woman who makes her living in a less-than-honest way. While the mystery in the book is interesting, it is Blomkvist, Salander, and the rest of the characters that keep you reading (or, in my case, listening. Simon Vance is an AMAZING narrator.)
The Girl who Played with Fire takes those characters and puts them into much more immediate danger. The relationships they built in the first book are put to use and you find out more of their past.
Lisbeth Salander now ranks among my favorite characters from books. She is a bit crazy, a bit uneven, but there is something about her tenacity that makes her fascinating. I don't think I'd want to meet her, but I really like reading about her.
Be warned - this book has a MUCH bigger cliffhanger ending than the first one. And sadly, the final book is not out in the U.S. yet.
5 out of 5 stars. Wow.
Originally posted on orangerful.vox.com