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Thursday 28 February 2013

Back To Back SilverScreen Awesomeness This Month!

Movies To Look Forward To In March:
It seems that this month is packed with awesome sauce movies to watch folks! So sign-up to a cinema loyalty card because there is a blockbuster coming out every week this March!
Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013) movie trailer:

About Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013):
When small-time magician Oscar Diggs pulls one flimflam too many, he finds himself hurled into the fantastical Land of Oz where he must somehow transform himself into the great and powerful wizard—and just maybe into a better man as well.
Source: Info in the About Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013) was taken from http://on.fb.me/Sow4Jv on 19/11/2012.

Movie Link(s):
disney.go.com/thewizard
www.facebook.com/OzTheGreatAndPowerful
imdb

Movie Release Date: 8 March 2013 (UK)

Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters (2013) movie trailer:

About Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters (2013):
In this dark spin on the fairy tale, siblings Hansel and Gretel are a formidable team of bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world.
Source: Info in the About Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters (2013) was taken from http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1428538/ on 26/11/2012.

Starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton. Directed by Tommy Wirkola. Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

Movie Link(s):
Official Site
imdb

Movie Release Date: 15 March 2013 (UK)

Jack The Giant Slayer (2013) movie trailer:

About Jack The Giant Slayer (2013):
An ancient war is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants.

Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack (Nicholas Hoult), into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom and its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend… and gets the chance to become a legend himself.

Acclaimed filmmaker Bryan Singer directs the 3D epic action adventure “Jack the Giant Slayer,” starring Nicholas Hoult (“X-Men: First Class”) in the title role. The film also stars Eleanor Tomlinson as Princess Isabelle; Stanley Tucci (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) as the deceitful Lord Roderick; Ian McShane (“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” HBO’s “Deadwood”) as the besieged King Brahmwell; Bill Nighy (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”) as the giants’ leader, General Fallon; and Ewan McGregor (“Star Wars,” “The Ghost Writer”) as palace guard Elmont.

Singer directs from a screenplay by Darren Lemke and Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney, story by Darren Lemke & David Dobkin. The film is produced by Neal Moritz, David Dobkin, Bryan Singer, Patrick McCormick and Ori Marmur, with Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Alex Garcia, Toby Emmerich, Richard Brenner, Michael Disco and John Rickard serving as executive producers.

The creative filmmaking team includes Singer’s longtime collaborators, director of photography Newton Thomas Sigel (“X-Men,” “Superman Returns”) and editor John Ottman (“X2,” “Superman Returns”). The production designer is Gavin Bocquet (“Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”).

A New Line Cinema presentation, in association with Legendary Pictures, “Jack the Giant Slayer” opens March 1, 2013 and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Source: Info in the About Jack The Giant Slayer (2013) was taken from http://jackthegiantslayer.warnerbros.com/# on 26/11/2012.

Movie Link(s):
Official Site
www.facebook.com/jackthegiantslayer
imdb

Movie Release Date: 22 March 2013 (UK)

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)


About G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013):
The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.
Source: Info in the About G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1583421 on 01/12/12.

Movie Link(s):
www.facebook.com/GIJoe
Official Site

Movie Release Date: 27 March 2013 (UK)

The Host (2013)

About The Host (2013):
A parasitic alien soul is injected into the body of Melanie Stryder. Instead of carrying out her race's mission of taking over the Earth, "Wanda" (as she comes to be called) forms a bond with her host and sets out to aid other free humans.
Source: Info in the About The Host (2013) was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1517260.

Movie Link(s):
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

Movie Release Date: 29 March 2013


The book from which the movie was adopted from:

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Book 1 of The Host series
Genre: dystopian science fiction/fantasy

About The Host:
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.
Source: Info in the About The Host was taken from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1656001.The_Host.

My review of The Host is HERE.

Wednesday 27 February 2013

WW28: DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST

WW28 book offering: Daughter Of The Forest by Juliet Marillier

We put the seed in the ground and the tree took form within it and began to grow.

By the title and that sentence, it seems that this book is heavy on botanical theme. But I haven't read this book yet though, so you tell me...

About Daughter Of The Forest:
Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives, they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift-by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever. When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all...
Source: Info in the About Daughter Of The Forest was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13928.Daughter_of_the_Forest on 24/12/2012.

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!
  • First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
  • Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
  • Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

Sunday 24 February 2013

Review: THE GRIMROSE PATH

The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman
Book 2 of Trickster series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback

About The Grimrose Path:
I looked at the metal coated with blood — so very much blood — the same color as the darkest crimson rose. I was undoing this. I was making this right. And I’d like to see the son of a bitch who thought he could stop me.

Bar owner Trixa Iktomi knows that inhuman creatures of light and darkness roam Las Vegas-especially since she’s a bit more than human herself. She’s just been approached with an unusual proposition. Something has slaughtered almost one thousand demons in six months. And the killing isn’t going to stop unless Trixa and her friends step into the fight.
Source: Info in the About The Grimrose Path was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7827387-the-grimrose-path on 10/09/2012.

Narrative Evaluation:
I have a few issues with some minor details... like when you sink a pointy heel into somebody's chest they tend to scream in pain and struggle, or even fight back. Not just lie there and let you do it. Little details like that, which tends to drag the suspension of disbelief down a couple of notches. And like in Book 1, this book also got a few little holes in the plot. I am kinda hoping that this little annoyances would improve in the next books in this series because I really like this author's story telling quality! It's quite compelling and I guess this is the main contributing factor why the book is a fast-paced one. Another thing about this book which I like is that Rob Thurman has masterfully woven the different mythologies with the christian "War In Heaven" theme into the world of the Trickster. This earned this series brownie points! At the end of it, I enjoyed this book a lot and looking forward to reading more books in this series. I am just hoping that there would be a lot of improvement in the plot building.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 3.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Friday 22 February 2013

TV Series Review: GRIMM (Season 2, Episodes 1-9)

GRIMM
TV series starring David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby and Silas Weir Mitchell. Brought to us by NBC.
Season 2, Episodes 1 to 9
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: iTunes download

About Grimm:
Homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt of the Portland Police Bureau learns he is descended from a line of "guardians" known as "Grimms", charged with keeping balance between humanity and the mythological creatures (called Wesen, pronounced as "vessin") of the world. Throughout the episodes, he must battle against an assortment of dangerous creatures, with help from his friend Monroe (who is a reformed creature), and his partner Detective Hank Griffin.

The second season of the NBC American supernatural drama series Grimm premiered on August 13, 2012. It is set to consist of 22 episodes. The series, created by David Greenwalt, Jim Kouf and Stephen Carpenter, follows a descendant of the Grimm line, Nick Burkhardt, as he deals with being a cop, and trying not to expose his secret as a Grimm.
Source: Info in the About Grimm was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm_%28TV_series%29 on 20/11/2012 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm_%28season_2%29 on 20/01/2013.

Show Trailer:
Show Link(s):
Grimm at NBC
Grimm at Wikipedia
Grimm Wiki
Grimm at imdb

My Thoughts:
I wasn't very impressed with this show with Season 1 but I very, very much like the premise of a Grimm police! I am a sucker for sap like that! And now I am willing to overlook quite a lot just to get a fix of more Portland Homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt! One thing remains the same, the seamless blending of the live actors/physical set and animated software that the fantastical elements comes off real and beautiful in the screen. I also like where the show is heading. That Nick finally brought Hank into the loop. That Monroe is getting a love-interest. And that Monroe's ex is tidily out of the way plus she wasn't that much of a bitch really, she was just being a blutbad. And the acting is good! All the action looks believable.

I would still be buying the dvd box set of Season 2 despite having downloaded some of the episodes already. Looking forward to watching the season finale. I am pretty sure it is going to be a cliffhanger like Season 1 was... But I am now hooked, line and sinker, to this series. So be warned this show is addictive!
Empirical Evaluation:
Cinematography = 5
Script/Story Itself = 4
World building = 5
Attention To Detail = 4
Plot = 4
Acting = 4.5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Thursday 21 February 2013

Review: SHAKESPEARE'S TROLLOP

Shakespeare's Trollop by Charlaine Harris
Book 4 of the Lily Bard mysteries
Narrated by Julia Gibson
Genre: murder mystery
Format: hardback omnibus & audiobook

About Shakespeare's Trollop:
The Barnes & Noble Review
Welcome back to Shakespeare, a charming little place in rural Arkansas filled with eccentric characters, small-town secrets, and captivating criminal conundrums. For more than four years now, Lily Bard has made her home in Shakespeare, cleaning houses for a living and honing her fighting skills at the local karate dojo. It hasn't been easy for Lily to put her tragic past behind her, but after years of prickly isolation she's finally beginning to build some real relationships. She has a lover she adores and friends who are more than sparring partners.

Then one day, while walking down an unmarked road, an unexpected flash of bright red catches her eye, and Lily immediately senses that something is very wrong. Her worst fears come to pass when the flash of red turns out to be a car holding the naked remains of Deedra Dean, one of Lily's cleaning clients and a lifelong Shakespeare resident with a well-earned reputation for cheerful amateur promiscuity.
Source: Info in the About Shakespeare's Christmas was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32513.Shakespeare_s_Christmas 14/05/2012.

Narrative Evaluation:
This being Book 4 in a series, I have said most of what I can say about this book in my reviews of the first three books. The same small town murder. And it is now starting to feel like same old, same old... The main saving grace of this book is Charlaine Harris' masterful story telling ability. So if you have become addicted to her books, this book is a good dose to feed your addiction. Elsewise, there is naught much different. So, what can I say about this book.... As soon as I read the title, I just knew that Deedra would play a prominent part in this book, and I was not wrong. Having said that, this book is not predictable though. The plot throws a loop which is a nice surprise! Another thing about this series is that, good thing that Charlaine Harris is such a good story teller, otherwise her books would never sell. What, with the cover arts quite dull-looking, would never trigger my book buying radar if I was browsing the book shelves in a bookshop. I think Ms. Harris really got shanked in the cover art department. And then, I thought I would get used to the narrator by now, this being Book 4 and many, many listening hours later. And I kind of did. However, Julia Gibson still sounds boring and monotonous to my ears though...

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 1.5
Pace (audiobook) = N/A (approximately 7 hours of listening time)
Narrator = 2

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries


Thank you to the RCT Library for letting me borrow this book!!

FTC Disclosure:
This audiobook was borrowed from the library. The hardback omnibus was purchased with private funds. No money received for this review.

Wednesday 20 February 2013

WW28: SHADOW WALKER

WW28 book offering: Shadow Walker by Allyson James

I dragged Maya down to the cafeteria and told her to explain what the hell she was talking about.

Our main protagonist is not only kick ass but nosey as hell...

About Shadow Walker:
Stormwalker Janet Begay returns home only to have the ground collapse beneath her - literally. After tumbling two hundred feet underground, Janet is rescued by her dragon boyfriend, Mick. But something dark touches Mick while in the sinkhole, and Janet might lose him forever unless she recruites the most unlikely of allies to stop the growing shadow.
Source: Info in the About Shadow Walker was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9670016-shadow-walker on 19/12/12.

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!
  • First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
  • Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
  • Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

Saturday 16 February 2013

Review: BONES (Season 1) TV Series

BONES
Season 1
Starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz as the main protagonists. Created by Hart Hanson. A Fox TV channel series.
Genre: crime fiction
Format: DVD box set

About Bones:
Bones is an American crime comedy-drama television series that premiered on the Fox network in the United States on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) to the forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Emily Deschanel). The rest of the main cast includes Michaela Conlin, T. J. Thyne, Eric Millegan, Tamara Taylor, Jonathan Adams, and John Francis Daley.

Created by Hart Hanson, the series is very loosely based on the life and writings of novelist and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, who also produces the show. Its title character, Temperance Brennan, is named after the protagonist of Reichs' crime novel series. Conversely, Dr. Brennan writes successful mystery novels based around a fictional (in the Bones universe) forensic anthropologist named Kathy Reichs. Bones is a joint production by Josephson Entertainment, Far Field Productions and 20th Century Fox Television.

The series is currently airing its eighth season and has been renewed for a ninth season.
Source: Info in the About Bones was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bones_%28TV_series%29 on 28/01/2013.

Show Trailer:

Show Links:
Official site
Bones TV series at Wikipedia
imdb
Bones on sky (UK)

My Thoughts:
The Season ended in a cliffhanger, of course, which is always a bummer for me. And sometimes it is quite obvious that they recycle their "dead body/bones" prop because the body/bones of a victim in one crime looked really the same to few other crimes in previous episodes, down to the cobwebby skin. Which brought the suspension of disbelief half a notch down in the rating scale. However it still does not detract me from being a fan of this show. Now why is that?? I am an urban fantasy geek, so to make me a fan of a crime fiction show it gotta have a little extra not only to reel my interest in but to keep it as well and this show obviously has that in spades! That something is obviously not in Sanctuary, Warehouse 13, Being Human and Falling Skies that these shows cannot reel me in, an urban fantasy geek. That their dvd box sets lay unfinished and I could barely get through the first season of these shows while I crave a crime fiction show?!? My urban fantasy self is just cringing! *sigh* You know, I also find it really ironic that for an urban fantasy girl, that I was never a fan of David Boreanaz as Angel but now I am as Special Agent Seeley Booth! I mean, that is just twisted man! On top of that, I don't even like the way Temperance "Bones" Brennan treated her brother! He did not choose thier parents for them now, did he? So why is he to blame for everything?! But Bones did redeem herself at the end of the season by apologizing in her own way. Plus Hodgins can be such an asshole. But then again I like the way he has to grovel and apologize to Angela afterwards. Perhaps that is one of the attraction of this show, that the characters are flawed just like the rest of us but endearing anyway. And I do like the romantic angle that this show seems to be veering towards. I like seeing the development of the relationship that they did not pursue to start off with but happens anyway. I know, me and my romantic heart!

Fans of the In Death series by JD Robb will like this show.

Empirical Evaluation:
Cinematography = 4.5
Script/Story Itself = 4
World building = 4.5
Attention To Detail = 3.5
Plot = 4
Acting = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

 
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