Book Review - Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Title: Home Before Dark
Series: -
Author: Riley Sager
 
Description: What was it like? Living in that house. Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They spend three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a nonfiction book called “House of Horrors”. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon.
Today, Maggie is a restorer of old homes and too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she also doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghost, after all, don’t exist. When Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale. But her homecoming is anything but war, .
 
Review: In “Home Before Dark”, we follow Maggie. She lives alone and renovates houses with a friend. Twenty-five years ago, Maggie live in Baneberry Hall with her parents, Ewan and Jess. A house which is no know as a haunted house. At the time, Maggie was a little girl and she doesn’t remember anything from living there. Maggie has lots of fantasy as a child, where she claimed to see people in the house, that here parents didn’t. The family lived in Baneberry Hall for 20 days and left the house, to never return. Ewan wrote a book about it, claiming that it had ghosts in it.
 
He describes the strange evens that accumulated during their stay at baneberry Hall. Sounds they couldn’t explain, items inexplicably in other places, and of course the strange images Maggie seemed to see.
 
Now, twenty-five years later, Maggie decides to return to Baneberry Hall, after her dad’s passing and inheriting the house. She didn’t even know that he still owned it. This gives Maggie the chance to fix it up and sell the house. But also to see if the house is indeed haunted. After all, she can’t remember anything about the evens and firmly believes that the events in the book were made up by her father.
 
“Home Before Dark” is very well written for several reasons. First of all, we actually follow two stories in the book. We follow adult Maggie, in the present, who returns to Baneberry Hall. And twenty-five years in the past, when Maggie was young and living in Baneberry Hall with her parents. Telling the story of what Ewan wrote about in his best-selling novel. This makes the story exciting and frightening at times. It had some real scary moments and I was really hooked to the story.  
 
I thought it was a thriller when I picked it up, but when I got into it, it felt more like a horror story. In the end, it still is a thriller, more than a horror, but I loved the horror elements Sager incorporated in his book.
 
This is the second novel by Riley Sager that I have read, the other one being “Lock Every Door”. I loved that book. I do prefer that one over “Home Before Dark”, but I’m very curious about more of his work. I’m really liking his books so far and I will definitely be reading more of his work.
 
Rating: 4 / 5

80s Movie Review - Good Morning, Vietnam

Director: Barry levinson
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 1987
Starring: Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, J.T. Walsh, Bruno Kirby

Description: In 1965, an unorthodox and irreverent DJ named Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) begins to shake up things, when he is assigned to the U.S. Armed Services radio station in Vietnam.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 30: A MOVIE RECOMMENDED BY YOUR DAD
 
Review: “Goooooooooood Morning Vietnam”, those are the words DJ Adrian Cronauer starts his radio show with, while being assigned to the U.S. Armed Service radio in Vietnam. The people listening to his how, love him. His superiors not so much.

Fans of Robin Williams will have a blas with “Good Morning, Vietnam”.  The actors is especially in the first half of the film, in top form with a lightning-fast succession of jokes that he makes up on the spot. If you’re not a fan of Williams, you won’t like this movie, since Williams is the heart and soul of “Good Morning, Vietnam”. I especially loved how a film set during a war, is lighthearted at times. It doesn’t shy away from the heavy imagery or topics either.

I really loved “Good Morning, Vietnam”, realizing again what a treasure Robin Williams was.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - The Gray Man

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page
 
Description: When the CIA’s most skilled operative (Ryan Gosling), whose true identity is known to none, accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets, a psychopathic former colleague (Chris Evans) puts a bounty on his head, setting off a global manhunt by international assassins.

Review: Ryan Gosling is a prisoner, nameless, talking to shady CIA chief Fitzroy recruits him for a team that operates even more secretively than the CIA already does. Under the name Six he manages in a few decades to work his way up to one of the most feared hit men, until he goes a bit over his head during an attack. His new boss Carmichael is not all that happy with his somewhat old-fashioned tactics.

All that remains is for him to gon on the run, where he gets help from the also discredited Dani. Six and Dani flee from Prague to Vienna from Berlin to Croatia, and so on. Meanwhile, Carmichael has enlisted the psychopathic Lloyd to take out Six.

“The Gray ma” is a delightful no-brainer action film with rather standard Bond-elements, but with a wonderful cast. The action especially is very good in this film. And I’m glad it looks good, since it’s one of the most expensive Netflix films ever made. The scenario was a bit predictable and not all that special, but nonetheless it was a very entertaining and enjoyable film.

Ryan Gosling’s character in “The Gray Man” resembles the one he played in “Drive”: nameless, stoic and ruthless. Ana de Armas, who was in the latest Bond-movie, had a bigger role in this film. The one she should have gotten as Bond-girl. I especially really like Chris Evans in his villainous role, quite different from the heroic Captain America.

“The Gray Man” gets a lot of hate, which I don’t fully understand. Because it’s a great time. I get that, for that big of a budget, you expect a more surprising and less standard action flick. But aside from that budget, it’s a fun action movie, though very forgettable.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Uncharted

Director: Ruben Fleisher
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE
WEEK 29: A MOVIE ABOUT TRAVELING
 
Description: Street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan, and lost 500 years ago by the house of Moncada.

Review: In “Uncharted”, based on a popular videogame, we see that brothers Nathan and Sam have been interested in the Magellan expedition since they were children in the orphanage. They want to steal the first world map. But they get caught doing so and Sam is sent away, because it’s not his first attempt. He manages to flee, leaving Nathan behind. Years later, Nathan works in a bar and he meets Sully, who wants to work with him. Sully is also a treasure hunter and knows Sam. Nathan’s brother stole the diary of Juan Sebastian Elcano for him. Since then there has been no trace of him, although Nathan has received postcards from Sam. On them are clues as to where he can find the gold treasure contained in two merchant ships.

I didn’t really care about this movie. It was somewhat entertaining and it looks good. But overall, it’s a pretty standard adventure film, with one-dimensional characters and a very predictable plot. Didn’t expect much, didn’t get much.

Rating: 2/ 5

20s Movie Review - Malignant

Director: James Wan,
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Brianna White, Jacqueline McKenzie

Description: Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.

Review: James Wan is one of the best current horror movie directors. Because after “Saw”, ‘Insidious” and “The Conjuring”, he shows with “Malignant”again how well this genre suits him.

When the pregnant Madison loses both her husband and her inborn child in an unexplained attack one night, her life falls apart. Yet things don’t get much better after that, when she starts having visions of similar killings, which are completely consistent with what is happening in reality at the time. And I’m stopping here, because it’s best to not know too much about the film before you watch it.

From the very first shot it is clear that “Malignant” is a horror film, but Wan leaves the viewers guessing to what kind of horror movie is exactly is. These days it’s somehow very difficult for director to create an original horror movie that is unpredictable. But James Wan did it. “Malignant” is one of the most original and surprising horror movies I’ve seen recently. With an ending you could never predict.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Licorice Pizza

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Maya Rudolph, Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn, Benny Safdie
 
Description: The story of Alana Kane (Alana Haim) and Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) growing up, running around and going through the treacherous  navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.

Review: “Licorice Pizza”, the latest film by director Paul Thomas Anderson, is a nostalgic portrait of California in 1973, very loosely told through a story about a teenage boy and the twenty-something he fall in love with.

Anderson broke through with movies like “Boogie Nights” and “Magnolia”. He has a very recognizable editing style, camera work and the specific way he uses pop music.

“Licorice Pizza” consists largely of loose anecdotes and scenes surrounding the lives of Gary and Alana during one summer. For a long time, it’s not entirely clear which way the film is going or what to expect. Anderson takes the time for all sorts of sidetracks and side events, which don’t take the story from A to B, but do contribute to the development of the two main characters and to a nostalgic portrait of the San Fernando Valley in California in the 1970s., an area bordering Los Angeles and Hollywood where Anderson grew up.

The natural acting of lead actors Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim is entirely appropriate to this approach. Hoffman is the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who often worked with Anderson. Alana Haim is one-third of the pop-rock trip HAIM. Her sisters (the other two-third of the band_ and their parents play her family. Alana and Cooper both make their film debut and immediately leave an open, natural impression.

“Licorice Pizza” is one of those films that you cannot really sum up in one sentence. It is fairly long, which bothered me a bit. It dragged at times. And although “Licorice Pizza” is a very strong film, I would most likely never watch it again.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Director: Jeff Fowler
Genre: Action Comedy Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Ben Schwarz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Idris Elba, Tika Sumpter, Colleen O’Shaughnessy
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 28: AN ACTION COMEDY
 
Description: When the manic Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns to Earth with a new ally, Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elbe), Sonic (Ben Schwarz) and his new friends tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy) is all that stands in their way.

Review: “Sonic the Hedgehog”, which came out in 2020, was one of the first videogame movies that showed there was hope for the genre. A movie I didn’t think I would like, really surprised me and I enjoyed the film very much. And when people respond positively to a movie like this, a sequel will be made. And now, 2022, there is “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”.

Dr. Robotnik is back, with a new ally: Knuckles. Together with his new friend Tails, Sonic has to fight this villain.  

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is again a very entertaining movie, with a few fun jokes. And there is enough action for the running time. Jim Carrey is fantastically hilarious as Dr. Robotnik. And adding Knuckles and Tails to the story is also welcome.

Overall, the film, even though entertaining, is a tad too long. The scenes with Sonic’s human friends at a wedding could have been shortened and some could even have been removed. If Sonic was in these scenes too, it would have been more interesting, but they are on an entirely different location and this side-story it takes away from the action and adventure we really want to see.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is a fun family film, an okay sequel.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Girl in the Picture

Director: Skye Borgman
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: -
 
Description: A young mother’s mysterious death and her son’s subsequent kidnapping blow open a decades-long mystery about the woman’s true identity, and the murderous federal fugitive at the center of it all.

Review: The overwhelmingly true-crime documentary by Skye Borgman, who previously excelled with “Abducted in Plain Sight”, centers on a highly peculiar 1990 murder case.

Sharon Marshall was the girl in the picture, to whom the title of this documentary refers. A five-year-old girls sits on a man’s lap. He is Clarence Hughes, then in the role of her father. But roles and aliases change constantly throughout the film. Borgman skillfully begins with the finding of a murdered blonde woman on the roadside near Oklahoma City, USA in 1990, and then pulls down one façade after another.

I’m not going to delve any deeper in to what “Girl in the Picture” unravels, but you could say that the film depicts Marshall’s tragic childhood, as well as Hughes’ unreal and peculiar ways. The things that are discovered are somethings you just can’t make up.  I found this documentary very intriguing and mind-blowing.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Thor: Love & Thunder

Director: Taika Waititi
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Jaimie Alexander, Russell Crowe, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff
 
Description: Thor (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) to fight Gorr (Christian Bale) the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.

Review: A viking from space who uses his magic hammer to cross the universe on a rainbow road. An absurd fact that director Taika Waititi fortunately knows how to deal with. He continues the direction he took with “Thor: Ragnarok” and proves that Thor is justifiably the first Marvel original Avengers character to add a fourth film to his resume. “Thor”Love & Thunder” is a comic film of cosmic proportions.

The last time we saw Thor was in “Avengers: Endgame”, in which his body suffered a lot from eating too much. He is back in shape and ready for a new adventure. He is fights together with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but Thor feels he is lacking a piece of meaning. We follow the story of his journey to self-development, in which, in addition to thunder, love is central.

Which brings us to Jane, whom we last saw in “Thor: The Dark World”. And she herself gets to experience what it’s like to be a superhero. I was skeptic about this part at first, but I thought they handled this well and the reasoning behind her being worthy enough to pick up Mjolnir.

The way Chris Hemsworth gives color to his character certainly deserves praise. And with Taika Waititi’s great direction and the humorous and action-packed story make for an entertaining movie.

I do still think “Thor: Ragnarok” was better, but nonetheless Waititi did a great job with the fourth Thor movie, which I will definitely be rewatching.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Normal Heart

Director: Ryan Murphy
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Joe Mantello, Taylor Kitsch, Julia Roberts, Jonathan Groff, B.D. Wong

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 27: A MOVIE ABOUT A HISTORICAL FIGURE

Description: A gay activist (Mark Ruffalo) attempts to raise H.I.V. and A.I.D.S. awareness during the early 1980s

Review: Nowadays, with the right medications, you can live a respectable age when being diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. But back in the 1980s, when the disease first manifested itself, that was a different story. At that time AIDS was called ‘gay cancer’ and more and more people saw the mysterious virus invade their lives. The truth behind the origin of this disease remained unknown for a long time, especially since it took some time for AIDS and HIV to be recognized. Someone who played a major role in putting both diseases on the map is the American writer and activist Larry Kramer, who this story is based on, only now with fictional characters.  

In “The Normal Heart” it’s Ned Weeks, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo, a political activist and writer. We meet him in the summer of ’81, joining a party in Long Island. He reads articles about a mysterious cancer, that exclusively affects homosexuals. He sees the seriousness of this disease and decides to consult doctor Emma Brookner. She researches the disease and discovers that there is more to it. She asks Ned to warn the gay community about the disease.

As the disease gets closer and closer to his own group of friends, Ned takes actions. Not much help comes. The city of New York and the Reagan administration refuse to recognize the disease. He seeks supports of his brother Ben, a lawyer. But even with the strong bond they have, Ben finds it hard to understand Ned’s orientation. Reporter Felix Turner, whom he later gets in a relationship with, is willing to help.

“The Normal Heart” is a project that director Ryan Murphy put his entire heart and soul in. And it’s visible. Not only because of him, also thanks to Mark Ruffalo, who is really impressive as Ned Weeks. He is supported by a strong cast, where Jim Parsons and Joe Mantello really stand out. Murphy doesn’t shy away from portraying the horrors that AIDS brings. But the main strength lies in the screenplay.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - Stranger Things (Season 4)

Season: 4

Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Fantasy/ Horror

Number of episodes: 8

Year: 2019

Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Sadie Sink, Dacre Montgomery, Priah Ferguson, Joseph Quinn, Eduardo Franco

Description: It’s eight months after the events in the Starcourt Mall. Max is having a tough time dealing, distancing herself from Lucas who has found a place in the basketball team. Dustin befriended Eddie, the leader of the Hellfire Club: a D&D group. Mike visits Eleven, Will and Jonathan and Joyce still believes Hopper is alive. When people start dying in Hawkins and Eddie is the main suspect, the young gang decides to help him and find who is behind these deaths, while Eleven goes back to doctor Brenner to regain her powers and Joycesets to find Hopper.

Review: After nearly three years, “Stranger Things” fans (ME!) can finally see how things continue for their heroes from Hawkins, Indiana. Will that long wait be rewarded?

WARNING! THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Netflix decided not to drop the entire season at once. The first seven episode dropped and later the final two we available as well. And the season had a very long runtime, especially the last two episodes. And I didn’t mind that at all.

The previous season came to a climax battle, where Eleven and her friends defeated the monster from the Upside Down at the Starcourt mall, while Joyce and Hopper went deep underground to thwart the Russians’ plan. The victory came at a high price: Billy was killed, El lost her powers and Hopper disappeared. The rushing army quickly laid the entire Starcour to ashes, and in cover-up, all traces of Russians, monsters, and gateways to other dimensions were carefully hidden away. Joyce moved to California with her sons Will and Jonathan and their friend El.

The big question at the beginning of season 4 is whether the whole gang will ever get back together. El writes letters to Mike from California in which she pretends that she is doing very well, but in reality she is deeply unhappy without her friends and she is being bullied. Home in Hawkins is no paradise either. Since the horrific death of her brother Billy, Max has been seeing the school psychologist regularly, but other students are also suffering from trauma. In the Upside Down, a new monstrous creature sees in this a way to manifest itself again in Hawkins.

Of course, with each new season of “Stranger Things”, fans are especially looking forward to seeing their familiar heroes again, but the creators are always introducing new characters as well. This season is no different. A big addition is Eddie Munson, a high school student with a love for heavy metal, drugs and Dungeons & Dragons. And Eddie wins all of our hearts from the first scene we meet him. Which makes the final episode extra difficult to watch.

Season 3 had a small bonus scene, where there was a hint Hopper had survived the explosion. And of course it turns out that he has. Joyce’s attempt to reunite with Hopper take up a good portion of the episodes, and with that the new season deviates considerably from all the previous ones. For the story no longer plays out only in Hawkins, but also in California, Alaska and Siberia.

The tone of the series is also markedly different this season. Previously, “Stranger Things” breathed the atmosphere of the Spielberg films and Stephen King movies of the 1980s, but now the emphasis is firmly on horror. Characters are killed off in some pretty shocking ways, which may make this season’s 16-and-over predicate justifiable. Again many references to popculture, like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” ( with a cameo from Robert Englund), “Halloween” and “Carrie”.

Max has a bigger role in this season, which I really loved, since she is one of my favorites. And she is, together with newbie Eddie, one of the highlights of season 4. Can they please give Sadie Sink an award for her performance, because it was incredible. And with that the characters of Max and Eddie both had an epic scene, which eventually became the most memorable moments of season 4 (Max escaping Vecna for the first time and Eddie’s guitar solo in the Upside Down).

All the familiar and new characters, references to previous season and well-known genre films, music from the eighties and he now familiar formula of the Duffer Brothers ensure that you step into a warm bath with season 4. Is more always better? In the case of “Stranger Things”: absolutely! Now we wait for season 5, which will be the final season. Time to rewatch season 1 to 4 now.

Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 18

I decided to rewatch my 100 favorite movies of all-time. What those are, you can check HERE. I watch them in random order, there is no rhyme or reason there, just watching those movies I love so much.

61/ 100: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Mother of a murdered and raped teenager can’t stomach the fact that one year after the fact, a perpetrator has still not been caught and she decides to put pressure on the local sheriff. The mother is not only good, he sheriff is not only bad. And that goes for all the, well-drawn charactrs. At once, comic and tragic, with unforgettable, razor-sharp dialogue from writer/ director Martin McDonagh, who we know from movies like “In Bruges”. Read my full review for “Three Billboards” HERE.

62/ 100: Rear Window (1954)
Photojournalist Jeffries sits at home in a wheelchair with his leg in a cast. His beautiful girlfriend, fashion model Lisa Fremont, comes o see him every day. She hopes to propose, but Jeffries is afraid of commitment and prefers to spy on he neighbors across the street. The wife of one of them, a man with an unhappy marriage, is suddenly nowhere to be seen. Has she been murdered? The story takes a grim turn when Lisa gets actively involved in the case. One of the undisputed highlights of Alfred Hitchcock’s oeuvre, still quite exciting and downright brilliantly constructed. Check out my full review of the movie HERE.

63/ 100: Call Me By Your Name (2017)
It is the summer of 1983. The 24-year-old American research assistan Oliver comes to Northern Italy to assist Professor Perlman. And makes a big impression on his 17-year-old son Elio, who to his own shock and surprise falls in love with Oliver. The discovery of the talented Timothée Chalamet. All the praise for this film is understandable, it’s a fantastic movie. Sparkling, intimate and honest. A movie to fall in love with. HERE is my full review.

Still to watch: 37

00s Movie Review - The Invention of Lying

Director: Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson

Genre: Comedy/ Romance

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2009

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill, Jeffrey Tambor, Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Louis C.K

Description: A comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 26: A ROMANTIC MOVIE 

Review: The film is set in a world just like our, but with the only difference: mankind never “invented” lying. People just have jobs, children, a house, a car. But in the meantime they are 100% honest with each other. And one man, writer Mark, one day is somehow able to lie and uses it to help himself and others. Comedian Ricky Gervais wrote the story and directed the film. But also star in it.

I’ve always liked Gervais’ humor and I enjoy watching him in films. “The invention of Lying” is a fun film, with jokes that may or may not work for you. For me it did most of the time. I really liked the premise of the film and it played out well.

Rating: 3 / 5

Book Review - Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King

Title: Gwendy’s Button Box

Series: The Button Box # 1

Author: Stephen King

Description: There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974 twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong (if time-rusted) iron bolts and zig-zag up the cliffside.

At the top of the stairs, Gwendy catches her breath and listens to the shouts of the kids on the playground. From a bit farther away comes the chink of an aluminum bat hitting a baseball as the Senior League kids practice for the Labor Day charity game. One day, a stranger calls to Gwendy. On a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat like for a suit, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat...

Review: “Gwendy’s Button Box”, unlike most Stephen King’s work, is only a very thin book. It is a novella, which you can usually read very quickly. The cover is beautiful and inside are wonderful illustrations.

The story follows Gwendy, who struggles with various aspects of her life, including her weight. After she gets a button box ins a special way, it seems to change her whole life. She loses wight, gets better grades, and excels at sports and work. The button box in particular is very appealing to the imagination of this story. The tension is well built.

There is a clear message in the novella. As you reas, you get the idea that you need to read the book again, to fully grasp the meaning of the story. We experience the story mainly through Gwendy’s eyes, although due to the length of the story we don’t really get to know her as a character.

The book combines several elements and genres, including fantasy, horror, life lessons and young adulthood. The ending of “Gwendy’s Button Box” is surprising, because the evens make you expect the novella to end differently.

Stephen King never disappoint, and he didn’t with this short story.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Crip Camp

Director: James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: -
 
Description: Down the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed at a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement.
 
Review: At a summer camp run by hippies, a crucial civil rights movement in the United States germinated some fifty years ago; that of the disabled. Camp Jened was one of the first places where disabled people could come together without any stigma. The young people who attended this camp felt for the first time that they were valued as complete individuals. It was they who later went on to lead demonstrations and protests to enforce equal rights for disabled people.

Indeed, the many archival images of 1971 summer camp reveal an incredible experience of freedom among the young people. Some of those interviewed describe the summer camp as their Woodstock. At the camp, the young people get first loves and have long discussion about the problems they experience because of their disabilities.

“Crip Camp” makes extensive use of historical material. The footage of the protest is particularly impressive. Of particular note is the moment when a group of disabled pepple entrench themselves in a government building for over twenty days to ensue that a law is passed establishing their equality. “Crip Camp” shines light on a civil rights movement that has been largely invisibly until now. It is more or less normal today for most buildings to be wheelchair friendly, but “Crip Camp” shows how arduous the fight was to make this happen. An incredibly shocking scene makes it clear why this was so important. This is a news report from the 1970s about Willowbrook, a kind of hospital for the disabled. These images are pure horror. Emaciated patients lie everywhere, tucked away with no real help.

“Crip Camp” is an engaging documentary with a positive message. It shows how steadfast people brought about real change in the U.S.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Spiderhead

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama

Runtime: 106 minutes

Year: 2022

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett

Description: In the near future, convicts are offered the chance to volunteer as medical subjects to shorten their sentence. One such subject for a new drug capable of generating feelings of love begins questioning the reality of his emotions.

Review: “You’re stich with four life sentences, with no chance of parole”. A sentence no prisoner wants to hear. Yet the prisoner to whom this is told responds with an almost manic fit of laughter, creating an uneasy feeling and an upsetting atmosphere. Unfortunately, this strong beginning does not continue, and while there are plenty of ideas, the execution of them is underwhelming.

“Spiderhead” is set in the near future. There is a prison complex where occupants are given the chance to reduce the length of their sentence. All they have to do to do so is participate in an experimental study of medication the controls people’s emotions. And that’s not all; the prisoners are allowed to walk around freely and there is an open kitchen. A deal you can’t turn down, but of course there’s a big, fat catch.

This interesting premise can cause the necessary moral dilemmas. It is therefore unfortunate that the beginning is somewhat banal. Lead researched Steve Abnesti can administer various medicatiosn automitically, including the so-called Luvactin. Its effect is euphoria and everything si beautiful. Like the other medications at Steve’s disposal, this one can be cranked up to eleven.

The tests for Luvactin begin fairly innocently but interestingly. Inmate Jeff looks at a view that actually consists of a garbage dump and thinks it’s beautiful. The same test is done on two inmates sitting together, which obviously ends in an intense lovemaking session. Which becomes a bit silly eventually.

And from there, the various tests yield more and more when it comes to the moral compass, and other emotions also pass muster. When the medication is administered, the recipients first have to acknowledge this and approve that they can. This gives the illusion of free will, but this is deviously reversed as Steve, in a friendly yet blackmailing manner, makes people do whatever he wants them to do. Chris Hemsworth, who plays this Steve, is solid in his role and he tries to make the best of what this movie is.  

“Spiderhead” has a very interesting premise, but has a very hard time getting it going. Alsmot two-thirds of the film is over before the first real conflict arises. Which makes it difficult to stay focused and the keep you interested. It could have been better if they used the premise to its full potential and made a more thriller-based film. Such a let-down, very disappointed in this movie.

Rating: 2/ 5

TV Show Review - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series

Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Drama/ Science Fiction

Number of episodes: 6

Year: 2022

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Jimmy Smits, Joel Edgerton, Moses Ingram, Vivien Lyra Blair, Rupert Friend, James Earl Jones, Kumail Nanjiani, O’Shea Jackson,

Description: Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) has to save young Leia after she is kidnapped, all the while being pursued by Imperial Inquisitors and his former Padawan, now known as Darth Vader.

 

Review: Ewan McGregor has never made a secret of his desire to don Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi cloak and take up his lightsaber again. At first, there was talk about a standalone film, but eventually the producers of the Star Wars series opted for a six-part miniseries. McGregor is visibly enjoying himself, but  is actually reduced to a supporting actor. The story, in fact, revolves mainly around the ten-year-old Princess Leia and the rise of Darth Vader. Nevertheless, for fans it is still a feast of recognition.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” is set between episode III and IV, thus forming a solif bridge between the original and the prequel trilogy. You might even tentatively conclude that this series makes that hated second trilogy more palatable, as “Revenge of the Sith” is tied to this first trilogy opener, A New Hope.

It is a few years after the battle on the volcanic planet Mustafar, where Anakin Skywalker, who had turned to the dark side, came away from the battle battered. With all kinds of artifice we see how he recovers and has the iconic Darth Vader suit hoisted, which provides him with an artificial face provided by James Earl James (in his nineties now). It will lead to cheers for fans, and this puts even more puzzle pieces in place. In particular, a fight scene in the final episode will be able to please many because it brings together nostalgia and new angles.

Whereas “The Mandalorian” had its main charm offensive in the form of Grogy (aka Baby Yoda aka The Child), the creators of this series got to work with a ten-year-old Princess Leia. Unlike the viewer, she has no idea who her real parents are or that she has a twin brother, who grows up in anonymity on Tatooine. Leia is played by Vivien Lyra Blair, who steals the show in every episode. She is smart, witty, but not pedantic or irritating, like a lot of children in movies are.

It's a nice touch that continuity with the movies has been provided by having all the actors still available reprise their characters, even though some have visibly aged and other appear in only one scene.

 

Unlike previous Star Wars series, all sex episodes of “Obi-Wan Kenobi:  were directed by the same person: Deborah Chow. She also directed tow episodes of “The Mandalorian”, and this time around her work shows consistent direction in a series is still most remiscent of the prequel trilogy in terms of looks.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” is a better series then “The Book of Boba Fett”, but doesn’t manage to climb over “The Mandalorian”, but it forms a finely rounded story. It lacks a real soul like in “The Mandalorian”, but for a Star Wars fan it is still a must-see.