Bolt Review

So, my family rented Walt Disney's Bolt from Netflix over the weekend and like most movies we get, I always watch it first as the reviewer and then another time as just entertainment, unless I really don't care for it. Well, to make a long story short, I ended up watching it three times and even after the third, I still laughed and loved it.

Following in the wonderfully entertaining animal stories like Finding Nemo and Chicken Little, Bolt opens with the adventures of a young pup becoming a Wonder dog, able to leap huge distances and melt metal with his powerful stare. Above all, is his SUPER-Bark, which can destroy everything with its power. He does all this to keep his owner, Penny from the evil clutches of Dr. Calico. The only problem is he thinks it's real when really it is just TV.

Imagine his surprise when some events drop him on the completely opposite side of the country and releases him into the real world away from the rubber props and plastic guns. Now, Bolt has to become a 'real' dog and manage a way back to his Penny and Hollywood. Along for the ride is alley cat, Mittens who is street wise and must explain to her captor that he is in fact a real dog void of powers. To make the trio, well, a trio is Rhino, the danger craving Rhino the hamster. With his antics and pure belief that Bolt is exactly who he says he is, the three begin a one way trek cross country that will take Bolt from the TV hero he's not to a 'real' hero that might just find friends in places he never thought he would find.

Walt Disney truly has another masterpiece here with familiar voices like Miley Cyrus and John Travolta and great animation that is synonymous with the Disney name. The characters will make you fall in love with Bolt and his unwavering courage, Mittens and her street wise attitude, and Rhino and his belief in impossible thing. It truly is a gorgeous story of the impossible dreams of three very normal house pets.

What I woke Up to this morning

This is what I woke up to. It finally ended around 5 pm. Earlier in the week, we were in the 80s.

Let the snow fall down....

just as long as I have my friends and family and heater to keep me warm.

Dollhouse "Getting Good"

So, several more weeks and episodes later and I must admit, Dollhouse, by Firefly and Buffy creator Joss Whedon has really taken the world by storm. It had a lack luster start, making some not want to tune in for the next episode, but those of us die hard Whedon junkies, were rewarded when we continued to be loyal and know that if Joss is the one writing it, then it has to get better. Plus, we all know what Fox did to Firefly so who knows what they might have been trying on Dollhouse.

Last weeks episode though, really amazed me and others like me. It began to fill out the story behind the Dollhouse, instead of just teasing us with bits and pieces and tonight's episode sounds like it's just going to get better from here on out.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Dollhouse name, the series is about young women and men called actives that are 'programmed' to be whoever they are needed to be. Hired by the wealthy to be the perfect date or hired to enact justice in some form or another, they are then stripped of all knowledge by having their memories wiped and bringing them back to a child like state. Sadly, they have no memory of their past or of any other 'life' they might have had. There is no idea whether they have done this voluntarily or not.

So, if you are one who watch one episode and decided to give up or if you are just tuning in, give the Dollhouse a try. It might just surprise you. Oh, and in the vase are three flowers and one of them is yellow. Don't get it....watch!!!

Author Spot: Rita Mae Brown

Well, I'm sick in bed with a cold and I find that when I am in this particular spot, I always seem to reach for a book that I've read before. One of my favorite authors that I tend to grab is Rita Mae Brown.

Be it her wonderful Mrs. Murphy and Tee Tucker series or the Fox hunting adventure of Sister, I find that I love reading them over and over again. Her way with how animals think and what they would say has me rolling on the floor. even tossing a look at my cat as he stares at me wondering what he might be saying.

For those not familiar with her writings, Ms. Brown writes mysteries, most set in smaller towns in Central Virginia. Both have something to do with the tradition of Fox Hunting, though 'Sister' Arnold's stories (e.g. Full Cry, Outfoxed, The Hunt Ball, etc.) are centered around the sport. Each has their own set of animal characters that 'talk', but only to each other. It lends a fun side to the art of murder that some books lack.

Her co-author for the Mrs. Murphy mysteries is her striped tabby Sneaky Pie Brown, who bears an extraordinary resemblance to the main 'cat'ater in the books, Mrs. Murphy. Together with her friends, Tee Tucker (a welsh corgi) and Pewter ( a fat grey feline always in search of food), they help their always curious owner, Mary Minor 'Harry' Haristeen solve the case without getting killed in the process.

If you haven't read anything by Rita Mae, I implore you to. She is a wonderful writer that puts her whole heart into her stories. Her characters are so real you wonder if they actually exist somewhere in the world and you can tell by the way she writes each of their struggles, that she truly cares what happens to them. Even the settings of her novels wrap you in the art of New England and its lush traditions, some of which are dying out.

So, if you are searching for a book to spend an afternoon with or something to take with you on your next flight, pick up on of the many books in Rita Mae Brown's creative library. You might just find yourself looking at your pet wondering just what it might be thinking.

For a list of her books, please stop by her website at http://www.ritamaebrown.com/content/index.asp

Close Encounters Review

Are you a fan of Anne McCaffrey with her ships that speak, and races that seem to mean more than meets the eye? How about a heroine that is genetically engineered to protect that which she is swore to protect and that was satisfied with traveling the cosmos with her ship until fate lad her to the burly arms of a tribal man? Well, look no further than the debut novel of Katherine Allred, Close Encounters.

Meet Kiera Smith, a GEP(Genetically Engineered Person) with her cocky ship, Max and the rock cat that is just a little more intelligent than what's go for him, Crigo. Their job is to search for new life forms, map new planets, and basically trek through the galaxy. Though Kiera is okay with her life, the longing to be normal eats at her, even though she is very special indeed.
When a call comes in from her maker, Daniels, Kiera jumps at the chance to save a race and see why a major corporation has taken such an interest in a planet. What she finds is a primitive race that is gentle and may just be what she has been looking for, even though she might just have to fight to save it.

As I started this novel, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I am not a big sci fi fan, though I did enjoy Anne McCaffrey and others like her. This book, though, truly surprised me. Reading like an urban fantasy with lush environments and memorable characters that draw you in, Allred immerses her readers into a place where those wanting good plot get it and those wanting a romance with action are equally satisfied.

With scenes that are violent and others that will take your sexual breath away, this is definitely for the older reader, but is definitely worth a read or two. Even if you are not into sci fi and like the feel of urban fantasy, this book might appeal to you. So, take a ride on a ship called Max and enjoy the creative mind of Katherine Allred in Close Encounters.....

Got Me Some Castle

So...two episodes have come and go with another slated for tomorrow night and all I have to say is...are you watching?!

Richard Castle is the new break way author, whose thrilling novels are talking the world by storm. The only problem is he's tired of writing them, and is ready for a change. He gets it when a copy cat starts turning his novels into reality.

Brought on to the case by his own sheer curiosity and the fact the detective is an attractive young woman, Castle charges in, finding being shot at and in the thick of things is rather thrilling. Suddenly, the once bored writer has found his new character using the fast talking Beckett as a model, much to her utter annoyance. Before long, things might get more heated than either would like them to be....

Castle is such a great series, filled with humor, wit, and that whodunit intrigue that you can only get with these type of shows. Coined 'Murder She Wrote' with a rather sexier Angela, Castle is played by the stellar and rather heartbreaking Nathan Fillion, who starred in the cult show Firefly. One of the things that makes him so perfect for this role is the fact that Fillion has such a terrific way of waering his emotions on his sleeve. His face is so readable and you actually think of him as Richard Castle, not an actor playing him.

I love the chemistry between the characters, from hot talking Beckett to the relationship between Castle and his level headed daughter or his rather eccentric mother. Each is well written and excuted. I will say that is definitely a series I hope goes far into a few more seasons.

So, if you haven't flipped over to Castle on Mondays on ABC, then maybe this would be a good time to. I think you'll find that solving the murder is as much fun as getting to the conclusion in the frist place....

Wicked Game Review

In lue of the May release of Bad to the Bone, I wanted to post a review for the first in the series:

As you open Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready, I am sure that what goes through your mind is the same as what went through mine...not another vampire novel. After all, most have somewhat the same plot, the same blood thirsty characters and damsels in distress and probably the same lines that come from countless hours spent reading said novels, only to find that the book ends the exact same way. Well, dear reader, what you hold in your hand is not one of those carbon copies. Get ready for an adventure in vampire DJ-ing at its finest.

Enter our main character, Ciara Griffin...con artist now trying for the straight and narrow forced to become one of the labor minded aka getting a job at WVMP, a radio station that plays just about every kind of music out there. Things get slightly weirder when she soon discovers her new bosses are not human at all, but vampires that remain hooked in the eras they were turned.

Thinking that this might be cause for a quick exit, Ciara soon learns that WVMP is in serious trouble from a big corporation willing to just about anything to get their hands on the vamps' station, which has been keeping them basically 'alive'. So with an expert con that just might pull WVMP into the big leagues and a little bit of old fashioned luck, Ciara begins something that will either make her or break her and the latter might not be such a good thing....

As with all of Jeri's wonderful stories, Wicked Game goes above and beyond with believable characters, one that will make you love them or love to hate them. Her writing flows with every word pulling you deep into a story that is both original and full of surprises. There are a few good sex scenes that are tastefully done. though I would still make sure not to let pre-teens read this. It is definitely an adult book.

So, if you are truly looking for a good original vampire story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and even have you singing the songs that seem to well up through the pages as you read, Wicked Game will definitely not disappoint, I assure you.

On March 31, the mass paperback is coming out. Preorder yours from Amazon now.

http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Game-Jeri-Smith-Ready/dp/1439101345/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237750678&sr=1-2

And don't forget to pick up a copy of Bad to the Bone on May 16th.

Jesus Fish Review (Movie)

So I was asked by a friend to write a review for an independent film about the reality of Christians. He told me that it would be a film that would definitely be a new concept and not something that i had ever seen before. My response was of course, i would watch it and give him my opinion, but that i was more into review books and not one for independent film. Not that it's not a great hobby or even career starter, I just didn't need another hobby. Anyway, here is my review of a very controversial film called Jesus Fish....

Filmed in and around the Tulsa area, Jesus Fish begins like most Christian films, a young girl trying to win a soul to Jesus before they pass on. For five whole minutes, you begin to wonder what exactly is so special about this film. With in a second or two, everything changes as a tench coat Jesus look-a-like bursts through the door packing a loaded shotgun and screaming at the top of his lungs. Suddenly, your eyes widen and you begin the journey through the lives of several different people that all belong to one very different Bible study.

You will meet people from every walk of life and will experience things like a drug dealer's house, a church play, and a grave scene for a girl that may or may not be dead. The characters will have you screaming to hit them and cheering as a few get just what they deserve. At the end, you will look on a story that might just change you look on the Christian life forever.

As an independent film with a rather low budget, Jesus Fish was well put together with a decent script that at times seemed a bit unbelievable, but no more so than most good films. The characters were well developed and well portrayed, though more heavy on the strength of the females than the males. They did invoke emotions within the audience keeping one entertained until the end.

Jesus Fish is a rather odd little film that is rated R because of violence and an 'implied' rape scene. It is definitely not for the young ones and could be offensive for some more sensitive viewers. Though not something you might watch over and over, Jesus Fish is definitely worth watching at least once. It will definitely be a ride you won't soon forget.

Here is the website..... http://www.jesusfishmovie.com/

CASTLE

Don't forget to watch Castle starring the delicious Nathan Fillion on Monday!!!!