Leah Saylor-Abney's thoughts on movies, books, and writing.
Yeah, I’m a couple weeks behind just about every blogger on the planet in posting my reflections on 2012. Oh well. There are lots of reasons I could give, but they’d all be excuses. (Something I’ve gotten pretty dang good at spotting over the past year.) Truth is, I wasn’t all that jazzed about posting [...]
Rating: 4 of 5 stars So much more than its “gothic romance” label, thank goodness. Yes, there’s a sheltered teenage girl who falls for her employer, an arrogant, seemingly unattainable “bad boy.” But the deeper love story was not between man and woman; it’s the love Jane showed for herself by never, and I mean [...]
Emily Hagins inspires me! Her passion for filmmaking as well as her ability to finish projects is a giant mirror in which I dare not stare. Let’s face it, for a 12-year-old to make a full-length film, she has to not only be passionate about what she’s doing, but determined and willing to work her [...]
The buzz is in full effect for V/H/S (2012). Based on the “reviews” I’ve received, from people who watched the movie already, it’s well-deserved buzz. So I’m spreading the word and crossing my fingers that this one will scare me. I mean, honest to heebie-jeebie goodness, frighten me. (Not just gross me out.) Watch the [...]
Yesterday I shared a fun little post about America’s hidden problem: literature abuse. But many of you may now be asking yourselves, “am I an abuser?” Complete this short test to find out. Self-Test for Literature Abuse How many of these apply to you? 1. I have read fiction when I was depressed, or to [...]
I’ve had this in my “Share” folder since 1999. I did NOT write it. (The e-mail came through a listserv; I don’t know who the original author is, so I cannot properly credit him/her.) I’ll post the self-test tomorrow. LITERATURE ABUSE: AMERICA’S HIDDEN PROBLEM Once a relatively rare disorder, Literature Abuse, or LA, has risen [...]
Rating: 4 of 5 While browsing the latest DVDs available on Redbox, I discovered SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE (2011). What caught my eye was the movie’s title, “horror, comedy” and “Kevin Corrigan.” So I rented it based solely on genre and lead actor. Some Guy Who Kills People is about Ken Boyd, a lonely [...]
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Book One in the Dark Tower epic offers fast-paced fantasy with moderate action and few answers. Its focus, though, is on the introduction of the story’s hero, his initial quest, and his world. The Gunslinger by Stephen King follows Roland, the last gunslinger, on his quest across the desert of a [...]
Rating: 4 of 5 A solid collection of 20 short stories that demonstrates King’s ability to transform everyday normalcies into our worst nightmares. Several of these stories have since been adapted for the screen. Stephen King has brought together nineteen of his most unsettling short pieces–bizarre tales of dark doing and unthinkable acts from the [...]
Some of you may remember this challenge from last year. While I didn’t post a review in the 2011 challenge, I did participate. This year I plan to read AND post at least one “review.” Here are the details: The Classic Bribe – Challenge & Giveaway: Read at least 1 Classic over the summer – [...]
