I was telling a friend of mine that this reminded me of Mark Wahlberg in 'Fear'. Josh Harnett' is creepy as the close-up camera shots help to invoke it.
The trailer is exactly as it is, you are watching and wondering if Cooper will get out of the trap set for him, if so, what will it look like. There was also this vibe/feel that made me think about the world of M, Night Shyamalan's interconnected films- Unbreakable/Split/Glass and how this could fit as part of them. There is a slight twist at the end, I feel, when it comes to the trap, a sort of double entendre.
It's a Shyamalan film and if you're a fan of him it's worth the watch for the eventual epic film he'll make one day with easter eggs galore showcasing his cinematography and storytelling.
At 11:30pm on October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live (1975).
Lorne Michaels: "Did anyone ask Edison what a lightbulb was before he harnessed electricity?"
Thoughts:
I loved this.
I very much want to watch it again. I want to watch the old SNL shows.
Then I want to watch it again alongside someone who has a love for comedy and love for SNL.
I love, love. loved this.
Recently, I watched a Dave Chappelle stand up and wrote something along the lines of A good comedian sees the line and delivers an objective humorous take while a great comedian obliterates it.
It being the 'line'. I feel this movie encapsulates a bit of why I enjoy SNL... from Michael O'Donoghue hot take on Jesus to quoting Hitler to Tebet on the elevator ride with Lorne, Morris's song about whitey, George Carlin hosting that first episode, and that frantic seat of your pants/high stakes energy. It is live. It is breathing. It is present. It is in the moment and the film does a good job with the stream of flow to make you feel part of it. SNL will celebrate 50 years later this year.
I had had thoughts about what it might be like to be part of the SNL writer's room. Dreamt about it. Have made sketches for some of the cast (I still have this one in mind involving Keenan Thomas and Chris Redd, though Redd is no longer a cast member) and an extended skit/novella of it. Watching this movie gave me that feel of being part of that chaotic energy and thought 'yeah I'm cool on that' but then afterwards was like 'well... ...'
I started to make a post about this back in January but held back. Even though it's not been a month, I should have just went ahead and finished my reaction, even though it was likely an insta one with initial thoughts.
That said, there is something interesting in that mental that I felt was captured. The negotiation, the compromise and ultimate decisions we'll make, chances we'll take toward something we deem valuable.
From the first episode's 'choice' offered to the homeless population in the park to the vote option within the game. The 'just one more' compromise in the hopes of increasing the amount of money that will line the 'survivor's' pocket and those that die. To the 'going in with the best of intentions' of the MC (Gi-Hun, I believe) to the weighting of lives as in the sacrifices of one (or several) for the hope to save more in the long run. The latter of which being an age-old conundrum. Many might not see it as that asking when you think of the greater good / the idea of saving more lives in the long run but those of us that understand the black and white, as well as the grey, know it presents a slippery slope pending on the lens.
Having binged this second season short of MLK day I say again the power is with the people. But when you have the people distracted, setting their gazes on one another then it presents an obstacle of that rise. You have hopeful individuals, ones that want to do right, but there are flaws, things present in the design to keep you in a place. And I felt season 2 of Squid Game captured that.
Season 3 is due out later this year, June, last I checked.
c.Thoughts:
I enjoyed the first book but there was something about it that I
couldn’t put my finger on that seemed to hit with book 2. Not sure if it’s a pacing thing, multi-POV
execution, the world building, characters, the logic behind character motives,
me, or perhaps a bit of everything and then some; could be that it’s YA and
there’s something about reading YA now that if it doesn’t hit right, I don’t
give as many ‘gimmie points’ that I have in the past. Regardless I feel dissecting these things
will help me as both a reader and writer.
While I have ordered the last book in the series (have the ebook but
looking at doing a physical copy) I’m still debating finishing the series. Not sure if it’s a lack of interest for the
characters but there is an interest for how everything lands.
2.Pioneer Women by Margart E. Tabor
a.Format: Hardcover
b.Series: Yes, Book 3 of Series (Different Women
with each Volume)
c.Thoughts:
I picked this up with the sole interest of reading about Gertrude Bell
but learned about a few other women along the way. This book was a very old, worn copy and I
loved the feel of the paper, the plain binding, and the content because as I
read about each woman and what they did, I felt a bit of me spark. The short portraits of these women, while
hailing from wealth that allowed them to travel and live certain lifestyles,
was good to partake.
3.Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter &
Organize to Make More Room for Happiness by Gretchen Rubin
a.Format:
Audiobook
b.Series: N/A but the other does have other books
centered around this theme
c.Thoughts:
Nice quick read and great at delving at some quick tips that I suspect
might be elaborated upon more in her other books. However, I felt motivated from this short
read and was able to do some quick work as well as reinforce other habits I’ve
been doing to declutter. With this being
less than 3 hours it’s a nice motivational boost or shot.
4.Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
a.Format:
Hardcover
b.Series: Yes, Book 1
c.Thoughts:
This may be another case of it being me and also this being YA… I picked
up this book because I’d seen it mentioned elsewhere (I read “Powerless” late
last year and it struck me as being similar to THG and how ‘Red Queen’ was
suggested reading). I now understand the
similarities and seeing as RQ came first I was hesitant with reading as this
series. I’d for sure seen it before but
the DMJ spidey sense would read the summary and be like ‘mmm, maybe not’. Well, turns out that was accurate but I went
along and did become invested so I thought, ok, maybe it was just the beginning
but then I realized ‘nann, spidey sense was accurate’. Debating on continuing this series as
well. I picked up the series last week
from the library along with a ton of other books -_-
5.Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
a.Format:
Audiobook
b.Series: yes, Book 1
c.Thoughts:
TMM. Considering I whipped
through this book in a weekend not realizing it was a series, though I should
have known/suspected, I will be picking up the next book. This isn’t my first JLA book, but considering
how I tapped out of the FBAA series and didn’t pick up the spin off for it,
well, I’m proceeding with caution. It’s
easy to make the comparison that Lis/Calista (FoFaW) being similar/recycled
goods of Poppy (FBAA) and so on and so forth but as the saying goes in Thailand
‘same same, but different’. Because
Thorn may supposedly be the Casteel equivalent, it’s not quite. If anything, I’d conceive Claude being
Castille in the deception department, especially if my theory regarding Claude
not being who he says he is pans out (none of this likely makes sense unless
you’ve read the first book of FBAA). And
alas, it’s a romance/fantasy, there is a word for this but mai pen rai, and
it’s JLA so there is spice and other elements of the narrative that may have
you being like, “…and this is where I tap out.”
Oye, the word I was thinking of romance/fantasy = romantasy.
6.Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
a.Format:
Audiobook
b.Series: Yes, Book 3 of The Empyrean Series
c.Thoughts:
TMM. How I wish I would have let
this book/series remain unknown to me.
Like I remember how it kept popping as a recommendation and I kept
thinking of this other series/mixing it up for it and being like ‘stop popping
up’. Until one day last year I picked it
up on a whim. I seriously don’t recall
why- maybe in a reading slump, maybe because a friend had read/reviewed it
recently and oozing delight from it, maybe it was instantly available on the
book shelf at the library (I do know at the time I’d been seeing copies of Iron
Flame in the new books section), perhaps a combination of these things aligned
but whatever the case may be, I picked it up and I’ve come to recognize a
couple things after reading this third book – 1) I will get the feels. 2)
Some type of loss will queue the eye sweats/tears and warbled snot
factory. This book picks up where Iron
Flame left off and just like Iron Flame, ends on a cliffhanger. There is some hilarious banter/comic relief
in this book courtesy of RIddoc and gawds am I lover of found families/being
with people who love and get you. There
is something about being seen/finding one’s tribe that I enjoy and the dynamics
that surround it. And while there were
some things I suspected that came to fruition like a certain person’s
involvement with the villainous side, there were things I didn’t. As a reader and writer, this book furthers
that conviction of seeing a series through before releasing, for me.
7.The Sevon Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor
Jenkins Reid
a.Format:
Paperback & Audiobook
b.Series: Sort of, Part of the Reidverse
c.Thoughts:
I now understand the hype. I
teared up 3x times with this book and nearly ugly-cried from my cube but fought
against it since I was at work. Evelyn
Hugo, well, let me start by saying this is the third TJR book I’ve read and
there is something in her writing that elicits something of a joy when it comes
to characters. My first book I read by
her was Carrie Soto is Back and I remember in those early pages of
reading it, I predicted something would happen, knew it would happen in fact,
mentally prepared myself and STILL felt some sort of way when it happened/cried
and such. Same thing here with this
book. Suspected something and for me, it’s
almost like watching a horror movie. You
know something is coming, the music will change, things will grow quieter, an
anticipation for what’s lurking around the corner then BOOM! I suspected something would give me the feels
with reading this story while also being worried that I might not like this
book since there was so much hype around it but alas I got to the end of the
book and it felt like the first time I read The Night Circus, in that by
the time I got to the end, I found myself wanting to begin again with the book
knowing what I knew. As a reader Evelyn
Hugo is unforgettable and her story overpowers.
Even though it’s up to Monique, the journalist, to capture Evelyn’s
story and as a reader you’re wondering about what it is Evelyn has done or why
she wants Monique specifically, it’s just a backdrop. Yes, there is that angle to the story but for
me there is the question of being the MC of your own story or just a side character. Monique feels like a side character. And Evelyn feels like a mentor embarking some
sage advice through the lessons of her life and what she has done, on her own
terms, within this life. A woman that
has made her decisions and weathered the consequences.
I have two other books that will likely be finished as part
of this weekend reads/February list such as:
1.Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz
2.Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
My official February read is The Body Keeps the Score
and in talking with a friend last night found out that there’s a workbook that
accompanies it. There are a few other
books on deck for February, working through my pile of library books diligently
and making time to write.
Years ago, a coworker, my pb to my jam, or jam to my pb, suggested I read the 'I Have A Dream' speech. And just about every year since I have read it in observance of the day, rather the company I work for recognizes it or not.
That first time I read it I was amazed by just much goodness is in it before you even reach the I have a dream part and all it's memorable hope. There are gems throughout the speech. This year I both read and followed along as I listened thanks to this NPR article - Transcript of Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech : NPR
You don't realize you don't really know something until you've sat down with it sometimes. In that, you think you've heard it, witness, or obtained the knowledge but there is a wonder, a beauty, in revisiting what you think you knew and discovering as well as rediscovering the magic in a piece. I feel this whenever I read the speech. The power in his words. The power of the people and how much we can accomplish when there is something much larger connecting us that we can stand behind/stand up for.
I am also reminded of something that Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello once said during an interview, his vote was with the people. I think the interviewer might have posed who he was leaning toward politically. There is something to be said about who/what we choose as representation. What it reflects about ourselves- 'the good/the bad/ the... still to be determined' and what is it that we recognize. Are we focusing on one part of the picture or looking at the global view. How honest are we about it all?
A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Quote:
Darwin: "Try not to die."
Thoughts:
I liked this.
I had my suspicions about a character and while I wasn't 100% spot on, I was in the ballpark.
What was interesting was that when I didn't get the M. Night Shyamalan twist or catch him in the film, it made go 'hmm' until I saw the credits and realized why.
While he's a producer, this film being written and directed by his daughter was my first 'ahh' moment, the second came in seeing this was based off a book by A.M. Shine which queued the next. Like "A Cabin in the Woods" I imagine there was the sticking close to the novel type of undertaking.
As I've not read either I can't confirm this as yay or nay, but it made it make sense as far as expecting there to be some huge twist and there not being one.
I liked that this story is based in Irish mythos which is more of a nod to the book in that regard.
All in all, that creepy tingly sensation was there, the character of Mina in context of the story worked, and for sure reminded me that I'd like to visit Ireland someday.
There are other things one could think about in regard to this film and implications such as:
the hierarchy with the mythos and what happened
Darwin the bird mimicking of Mina and the irony there
the birds in general (one of my thoughts early on in the film when one of the characters was attempting to escape, I thought, 'follow the birds'...)
At what point do you discern that’s something is a
hinderance?Is there such a though as
too much cheese on your salad?Too much
sauce on the Subway sammach?Too much
money in your account?
Or in the case that has drawn me to this thought – feedback.And not just feedback but perhaps advice.Does it become problematic when you’re
fixated to the point of inaction?Or
does inaction not exist because theoretically you are doing something even if
that ‘something’ isn’t measurable by your standards?
Earlier this week during my bi-monthly writing group I
attend through the library one of the peeps shared their intentions for the
year and working through some feedback they’d been given and some of the inner
struggle they had regarding it.It was
nothing bad but it went against this writer’s own preference when it came to
reading.It was the, somewhat/sometimes,
delicate balance of explaining to a reader versus the level of trust (i.e. not
to explain everything).
Coult just all boil down to a matter of preference and
perception… could also be a matter of how many ‘f*cks to give’ jars one keeps
in their mental abode.
Can stagnation be good or be put to good use if one shift’s
there POV?It’s not writer’s block, it’s
a writer’s balloon and maybe you’re just blowing and huffing all that frustration
until eventually a creative explosion release…
Well, I intended to write more and make some other observations,
but the evening has presented itself with some challenges.
At any rate, I’m determined to
finish my first read of 2025. I have several
books open- some physical, some audio, some a combination of both (looking at
you “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”; as I started listening to the
audiobook but I’ll likely finish via the paperback since I own a copy, this
will be my third TJR book and given the hype with this book I’m hoping I enjoy
it just as much as the other two).
Right now, these are the books I have open –
1.The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
2.Red Queen
3.Pioneer Women
4.Red Tigress
5.Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
6.How to Say Babylon
7.The Power of Now
I’ve also got a copy of the Writer’s Market 2019 from the
library that I need to return.But of
the books above there are a couple that I probably got about another 50 ish
pages or so left to read.With all the
snow that’s come through, patting myself on the back for taking of today’s snow
after we worked hard on Wednesday to clear a path in the driveway and I was
determined to keep it (LOL), I figure this weekend I’ll finish one.
I also have a few more theories about The Empyrean Series
that I’ll write about soon.
I have been meaning to make a post about this series for a
bit. Mostly about my theories based on observations from the first 2
books but solely the first because there felt to be a lot of things set up
there such as:
- Jack Barlowe's character arc... Specifically, when I first
read this book, I was struck by how it reminded me of several series (but with
dragons). In my head I was screaming, "OMG THIS IS AEITA (An Ember
in the Ashes) SERIES!" with a sprinkle of other novels. Then my
brain thought, "Someone fed AI a list of the hottest/fan faves with good
writing and this was its output."... I digress.
- In AEITA, the Augar, Cain, tells the character Helene that
she will his greatest masterpiece if only she'd allow herself to burn... or
something along those lines. Her character arc is one of the best given
where she starts at the beginning of the series to where she arrives. And
for me, as I was reading FW, this seemed to be setting up for Jack Barlowe's
character arc. Some theories regarding this-1. His need/twisted empathy
with killing off those that are weak.
1.Me suspects that someone close to him was
considered too weak, lived (possibly died), and he watched them suffer.
He is cruel and perhaps merciless in this way based on an upbringing to live
with 'every man for themselves' or in this regard cutting the hands of a man
threatening to bring down an already full lifeboat. Which brings me to my
next theory-
2.Jack is related to someone high up, as a first
year he’s assigned a room on the third floor and also there’s the fact that he
was resurrected/brought back from the brink of death due in which to him being
Venin.Initially I was thinking he might
be related to Panchek but Violet’s comment about seeing Melgren as a venin
since he has always creeped her out leads me to suspect the latter.However, Panchek has his ambitions and thus
there’s still part of me that leans toward him but whatever it may be, Jack
Barlowe, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed scoundrel for sure has political ties
- Dain Aetos is my other ‘reminds me of Helene’ character
with the potential for a great character arc, especially considering his
rule-abiding personality which was present in AEITA when it came to
Helene. Plus, with a name like Dain
Aetos, I mean, there’s bound to be something more in store. Pseudo think it would be kind of cool to have
a prequel book that did look at Dain/Violet/Cam as the offspring of political
figureheads and the mischief they got into
- Speaking of Dain, another theory I have revolves around
the three
great loves … Some might not be a fan of this theory, especially if you
love Xaden but if another POV, which I suspect will happen, comes into play
through the series, well ye have been warned.On the wild end, one could speculate that third as Jack Barlowe, after
all he wanted to kill Violet from jump BUT one can’t miss the ways Aaric (Cam)
dropped subtle things in IF about trusting Violet and knowing she could keep a
secret.That said, that’s not to say
redemption and resurrection won’t happen give… ::next theory::
- Violet/Andarna combined power into a second signet.I can’t remember which character said this,
perhaps Prof Kaori, when talking about Brennan and the Tairn’s first right,
Naolin, attempt to save Brennan said something about being able to bring
someone back from the dead makes you a God… And yet the full/actual story is
still not known here when it comes Brennan surviving.But I suspect the author dropped a hint
regarding Violet’s ultimate power, from the way was brought into the world and
perhaps some deal her father made with dragons given Andarna’s omission via silence
during a scene when a question was posed… Me wonders if resurrection or perhaps
some other type of time manipulation will be within Violet’s reach, but at a
cost as her greying/silver hair indicates
- There were a lot ‘there hasn’t been someone with this
power in centuries…” so far in the series, one of those called out was a
distance walker/traveler, going to toss out a theory that this will be Aaric’s
signet… I also thought this two could Violet’s signet and could be significant
when it came to exploring more of the world/the isles
- Another theory comes in the form of the first five and one
of them saying something came at a ‘terrible cost’; pair this with the little
that’s known/hidden/lost about Tyrrish culture; I think about his gold-flecked
onyx eyes and wonder about the possibility of human transformation, within this
culture for select individuals, into dragons…Perhaps an out there theory but there
- Viscount Tecarus, pretty sure the last of him hasn’t been
seen but there was something lackluster when the scene came around to ‘offering’
or a deal Violet wouldn’t be able to say no to that made me think perhaps more
is to come in this realm (?); it just seemed to have some buildup around him to
ultimately feel like nada delivered in a few lines
- Side note/super random theory – I never finished reading all
the books in the From Blood and Ash, FBAA, series, but again something about FW
made me think of this series and had me wondering if these authors collaborated
and if FW was low-key within the FBAA universe
