Tag Archives: horror

Nov4

Lil Red’s Book Club: Bird Box By Josh Malerman Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Bird Box By Josh Malerman Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing the horror novel by Josh Malerman called Bird Box. This book was made into a movie in 2018 I believe and I never watched it despite the internet going crazy for it. I can’t wait to watch it now! After reading Incidents Around The House, also by Malerman, I decided that I would like to read more by him and thought Bird Box was an excellent place to start. It sure was as I finished this book in one sitting! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Bird Box for violence, disturbing content, child abuse, and harm to animals. Ready? Let’s get to it:

Malorie is newly pregnant and lives with her sister, Shannon. Despite their occasional sibling arguments, they are close as can be and are excited to start their lives in a bigger city. Then, The Problem started. In Russia, a man saw something and violently killed the person he was by and then himself. Similar incidents began to occur throughout Russia, then all over the world, and eventually into America. As The Problem starts by seeing something, people are advised to board up their windows, lock their doors, and never go outside without a blindfold. Shannon succumbs to The Problem and Malorie is left all alone with a decision.

Sure, she could stay in the home where her sister has perished. Or, she could travel with no eyesight to a home who placed an ad in the paper. A home that was safe where people could gather and face The Problem together. She takes option B and through blind faith arrives at the property. She is greeted by several housemates but finds herself drawn to Tom. Tom is a thinker, a problem solver, and a gentle soul. He welcomes pregnant Malorie into the home with open arms even though she will soon bring another mouth to feed.

Flash forward to present day and Malorie has gone at it alone with two children, Boy and Girl, in tow. Since birth, Boy and Girl have been trained to use their ears instead of their eyes. They are so good that they can hear a spider crawling on a windowpane and that is good. Malorie needs Boy and Girl. Supplies are running desperately low and it is only a matter of time before they need to leave to the only safe location she can think of. The journey is a dangerous one as she will have to take them by river in a rowboat. And, yes, she is blinded the whole time.

As we journey back and fourth between past and present, we learn of the turmoils that brought Malorie to where she is today. The people she encountered before Boy and Girl were born. How The Problem can decay peoples’ minds into insanity. And the intense training Boy and Girl had to endure seconds after they were born. Will Malorie have the strength to bring her, Boy, and Girl to safety? Will it ever be safe to step outdoors and see the world again? Read Bird Box to find out!

Holy WOW was Bird Box a great read! As I didn’t follow the hype around the movie release, I had no idea of what I was getting myself into. All I knew was that Sandra Bullock had a blindfold on lol. As soon as I read the first page, I wanted to know more and literally could not stop reading until I was done. What a crazy story. What a crazy idea. And what a fantastic gift Josh Malerman is to the world of horror. Bird Box taps into a primal fear – living in complete darkness. Every time a blindfold is placed on a character’s eyes, I found myself holding my breath for them. The simple act of fetching water from the well or answering the door has turned deadly. Evil could be right beside them and they wouldn’t even know it. Painstakingly written and absolutely harrowing, this book was one hundred and ten percent unputdownable.

Reading Bird Box was an exercise in “what would you do?” and “what type of person in the house would you be?”. As you read, you are immersed into a world that seems impossible but not implausible. A world where every single decision you make could lead to the death of yourself or your ragtag band of survivors. Double that with having children like Malorie and it makes your head spin. Malerman crafted the characters of Bird Box so beautifully and provided every type of person you might encounter. An innovator, a skeptic, a madman, a mother to be. The home they resided in became their cage and, when caged, true selves took form. Reading these characters, some beloved and some not so much, rise to the challenge or shrink away propelled this story forward and begged the question of if man is the scariest creature of all.

Overall, I am going to award Bird Box with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This is a standout horror novel that should not be missed and I am so excited to read more from Josh Malerman!

What did you think of Bird Box if you read it? Did you like the movie if you saw it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct30

Lil Red’s Book Club: Incidents Around The House By Josh Malerman Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Incidents Around The House By Josh Malerman Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a horror novel by Josh Malerman called Incidents Around The House. I see a fair amount of book related posts on my Facebook newsfeed and the first page of this book has shown up several times during my scrolling sessions. The first page is absolutely gripping and I finally decided to give it a go. Once I started reading, I literally couldn’t stop and finished this three hundred seventy page book in one day! It was excellent and I can’t wait to read more by Malerman. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Incidents Around The House for disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Bela is a little girl who lives with her Mommy and Daddo. She is on summer vacation and has been spending an awful lot of time indoors. Bela doesn’t have many friends to play with, but that’s okay. She has Other Mommy and Other Mommy is her friend. She thinks so, anyways. Other Mommy lives in Bela’s closet and has been visiting in the night for as long as Bela can remember. Sometimes they would laugh and play games, sometimes Other Mommy just watches her.

Although Bela is excited to see Other Mommy when she goes to bed at night, she is scared of her too. Other Mommy has a frightful appearance and has been known to pull terrifying faces, grow gargantuan in size, and slither around the floor like a snake. Other Mommy says that she’s Bela’s friend and that friends should help each other whenever they can. All Bela needs to do to help Other Mommy is let her into her heart. Then, Other Mommy can be Bela and Bela can live wherever Other Mommy goes whenever she slinks back into the closet.

Other Mommy has grown increasingly persistent and impatient for an answer from Bela about her request. So much so, that she has began making herself known to the adults in Bela’s life. Now that Mommy and Daddo know about Bela’s Other Mommy, they must protect their daughter from the evil in their home. But how? No matter where they go, Other Mommy follows and Other Mommy hurts. Will Other Mommy be vanquished for good? Or is Bela letting her into her heart the only solution? Read Incidents Around The House to find out!

Holy wow! Creepy right? Incidents Around The House was an unputdownable horror read from start to finish. I have to say, it was also delightfully refreshing to read some horror that isn’t Stephen King, as much as I love him! Incidents Around The House definitely reminded me of Coraline and this isn’t a bad thing as I am a huge fan of the book and movie. But make no mistake, this is no children’s book and truly feels like a Coraline for adults. I enjoyed every single page and couldn’t turn them fast enough.

Incidents Around The House is told from Bela’s perspective and my heart just broke for this poor girl. She is dealing with something SO scary all by herself. And, even when adults know about Other Mommy, she is still alone. The adults around her are cracking after just one glimpse of Other Mommy, while Bela has seen her every night. Incidents Around The House is, of course, about being brave even when you are by yourself. But it is also a firm reminder of the danger of harboring secrets and how quickly it can get out of hand when it finally comes to the surface. If you are a horror fan, this is a must read!

Overall, I am going to rate Incidents Around The House with a nine out of ten stars. I suspect there will be a lot more book club reviews for Josh Malerman’s books in the future. Also, I cannot wait to see the movie of this book coming out next year!

Have you read Incidents Around The House? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct26

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Long Walk By Stephen King (As Richard Bachman) Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: The Long Walk By Stephen King (As Richard Bachman) Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing The Long Walk by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman). As a huge horror movie gal, I am most interested in seeing the movie based on this book that recently came out. Of course, I had to read the book first! After reading through the sweet and cute as can be Chocolat series, I was very excited to delve back into my usual horror and suspense novels. I can’t think of a better place to start than with Stephen King – especially since spooky season is upon us! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on this book for graphic violence, child abuse, sexual assault references, harm to animals, and disturbing content all involving children. If you’re up to it, let’s get to it:

The Long Walk is the nation’s favorite yearly pastime. It is a contest in which one hundred teenage boys simply walk under the watchful gaze of soldiers and the mysterious Major. The catch? You must maintain a pace of four or more miles per hour. Should you hit below four, you will receive a warning. There is no additional warning after the third one – you will be dead before you blink. One by one, the boys will be eliminated until there is one lone Walker to claim the prize: Fame and money beyond your wildest dreams and wishes granted. This is a contest that is not for the faint of heart and for boys who have nothing in their lives to lose.

Ray Garraty is our primary contestant and has a strong backing from his state of Maine. Did he enter The Long Walk for the glory, for repentance, or because he has a death wish? Who’s to say? But he is here and he is going to give it his best shot. Some boys compete in The Walk with a plan like to lone wolf it or frustrate other people into making mistakes. In Garraty’s case as with many others, they linked up in groups. Regardless of how you go about The Walk, there can only be one winner. There are no runner ups, no honorable mentions, and death is imminent for ninety-nine other competitors.

Despite these horrible circumstances, the boys trudge on. Armed with nothing but the clothes on their backs, a canteen of water, and food concentrates they must withstand whatever The Walk brings: Stormy weather, the delirium of no sleep, intense mental duress, and the pain that shoots through every inch of their bodies. Yet, they walk on. They walk until their death is the only option they desire. Only the strongest will survive. Will it be Garraty? Read The Long Walk to find out!

I have really mixed feelings about The Long Walk because it was written in a way that told us so much but also told us nothing. The Walk was, obviously, the focal point of this book and was the main character. It surpassed Garraty as the lead meaning that we knew next to nothing about the boys competing and everything about The Walk itself. This left little time to learn full back stories of the key handful of competitors and I wish that that was explored more. In a way, it was a mercy on King’s part. There were several teens that you wanted to see succeed and knowing more would have made their probable failure even more harrowing. The thing is, is that I’m nosey and still would have liked a bit of background information. On the other hand, it gives you the opportunity to draw your own conclusions.

Although I have some qualms with where the plot lacked, that is not to take away from the fact that is was expertly written, as always, by Mr. King/Bachman. He has a style that is undeniably his own and it continues to radiate. The way he describes horror is almost in a casual sense, then he surrounds the situation with joy wherever it can be found. A funny joke told by one of the boys, a competitor helping a fellow Walker to their feet, a rally by someone you thought was done for. In these moments of beauty, whatever painful situation that comes next hits even harder. There were sections in this book where it literally felt like I was being punched in the gut. Love or hate his books, there is no arguing in that they are a masterclass in pure horror.

Overall, I am going to rate The Long Walk with a six and a half out of ten stars. It wasn’t my favorite King/Bachman novel but it was still pretty good. I am looking forward to seeing the movie!

Have you read The Long Walk or seen the movie? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct11

Halloween Queen OOTD Bloopers

Posted on by
Standard
Halloween Queen OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Halloween Queen OOTD! When you see my OOTDs for the first time, anything unsightly in the scenery has been removed. In the bloopers, however, I let it all hang out lol. When I was shooting this look, I didn’t realize that I was standing right by a freaking drain pipe and I’m genuinely unsure how I didn’t notice. It was staring me right in the face SMH! Take a look at these yikes shots starring the drain pipe and featuring Lil Red:

Looking straight up INSANE. I guess all the scary movies I have been watching inspired me

Talk about wind in the whole body, amiright?

Just showing off my awesome Sprinkler dance move

Lol this little incline got the best of me SEVERAL times!!

Bringing down the house and doing the absolute best I can

Looking like I saw a ghost! It is spooky season so I wouldn’t be surprised!

I am so beautiful ❤

As you all know, Johnny and I have been completing the 31 scary movies in 31 days challenge for October. We take turns picking the movie of the day and I genuinely can’t wait to come home at the end of work to see what we’re going to watch next. While Johnny and I like to pride ourselves in our absolutely amazing taste in everything, there have definitely been movies in our selection that have actively sucked lol. For the most part, we can withstand a flick and say it was pretty good at the end. However, there have been two movies that are just WOOF with a capital W O O F.

Our most recent stinker was the original I Know What You Did Last Summer, as per Johnny’s choice. It has been SO long since I watched that movie at some slumber party or another so I had no qualms about rewatching it because I forgot everything lol. Also, the remake that was released over the summer was enjoyable so we figured it couldn’t be all bad. WRONG. Guys, wtf? The original sucked on ice. So much so that we talked the entire duration of the first half of the movie and promptly shut it off. I understand it’s somewhat of a cult classic but it was a total what happened for us! I promise, you’re much better off watching The Room. 😉

I regret to inform you that the selection that was the worst was my choice and mine alone. Even though I try to pin it on Johnny every chance I get! It was called We’re All Going To The World Fair and we watched it last year for our 31 for 31. It was so bad, so pointless, so incredibly stupid that I daresay I Know What You Did Last Summer was better and that’s really saying something. Because Johnny doesn’t read my blog as he lives my blog, he will not know that I admitted guilt in picking this movie. So, yes, I will continue to put the blame *jokingly* on my main squeeze! ❤

These two movies were the biggest duds in the entirety of our 31 for 31 challenge. If you are participating too, please skip on these flicks and you can thank me when you watch something infinitely better. Literally anything will be!

What is the worst movie you have ever seen? What is your favorite cult classic movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct5

Groovy Movies: The Strangers – Chapter 2 Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Groovy Movies: The Strangers – Chapter 2 Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! If you are a horror movie fan like me, now is your time to shine. There are countless new scary flicks on the horizon that look awesome and previous releases that share the same sentiments. One movie that I was particularly looking forward to is The Strangers – Chapter 2 because I absolutely love that franchise. I saw it this past week and I really enjoyed it despite the reviews raking it through the coals.

I never go into watching a horror movie with the expectation of a masterpiece and view them as popcorn flicks instead. Regardless of the outcome, I will be entertained and that was very much the case for the newest addition of The Strangers. It was a popcorn flick through and through! Let’s discuss in a spoiler free setting, as always. But, before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on the film for harm to animals, disturbing content, and graphic violence. Now, let’s get to it:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!!

The Strangers – Chapter 2 picks up exactly where Chapter 1 left off. The lone survivor, Maya, is recovering in the hospital after her terrifying first ordeal with The Strangers and is grieving the loss of her beloved fiance. She is wounded, in pain, and an emotional wreck but her problems are far from over. She is the only one who has ever survived an encounter with The Strangers and they aren’t going to let it stay that way. They have already infiltrated the hospital and the mad chase begins.

As Maya becomes the hunted once more, she emerges from the hospital into the rainy night in Venus, Oregon. Is there anyone she can really trust, though? Everywhere she turns, it seems like the whole small town is in on it and The Strangers know her every move before she even makes it. During moments of blessed solitude when Maya tends to her wounds, we learn flashbacks about Pin-Up Girl and Scarecrow when they were children in school as well as the origins of the question on everyone’s mind: Who is Tamara? Maya’s time alone is always short lived and she is outnumbered and has no one or nowhere to turn for help. Will she survive her second night being hunted by The Strangers? We’re going to have to wait for Chapter 3!

As I mentioned earlier, the reviews for The Strangers – Chapter 2 were anything but flattering and it scored a whopping eighteen percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The main qualms being that The Strangers should have been a stand alone film and that we don’t need a backstory into the three villains. My thoughts? The first Strangers movie was brilliant. It’s actually one of my favorite movies and I can see why people would say that it should have just been left alone. Its predecessors pale in comparison but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t entertaining. As for the backstory on The Strangers themselves, I am so there for it. Yes, it’s harrowing that their original reason for their murderous spree was “because you were home”. However, it is enticing to me to learn exactly why that is and how the whole town plays a part in it.

The Strangers – Chapter 2 was fast paced and clocked at just under an hour and forty minutes. For its entire duration, I was on the edge of my seat. It had plenty of good jump scares and the fact that The Strangers always seem to be everywhere was so suspenseful. Even more so because it was easy to root for Maya – seriously can that poor girl catch a break? I was genuinely bummed out when the movie ended on a To Be Continued because I wanted it to keep going and wanted to know more. I don’t know, I really liked it!

Overall, I am going to rate The Strangers – Chapter 2 with a seven out of ten stars. If you are a fan of this franchise, go into it with no preconceived notions. I think you will like it too!

What is your favorite scary movie? What did you think of The Strangers – Chapter 2? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep13

Groovy Movies: The Conjuring Last Rites Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Groovy Movies: The Conjuring Last Rites Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! If you are a horror movie fan like me, it is your time to shine because there are SO many good scary flicks that have come out or are due to be released soon. One that I was particularly looking forward to was the fourth installment of The Conjuring called Last Rites. I think we can all agree that the first movie was excellent, the second was so so, and the third one sucked on ice. However, those sentiments did not deter me one bit from wanting to see what happens next and I’m glad for it. The Conjuring 4 was better than the second and third one combined! As always, this will be a spoiler free review but I’ll be placing a trigger warning on the movie for pregnancy difficulties, injury to an animal, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

^^^ I have no rights to this video!!

Ed and Lorraine Warren are getting older and have decided to put their paranormal investigations on an indeterminate hiatus for Ed’s declining heart health. Their days are now spent lecturing and doting on their beloved daughter, Judy, who is now all grown up and dating a young man named Tony. Like her mom, Judy is increasingly having visions of the dead and things that have already happened and are yet to come. It’s a balancing act but both of the ladies manage it the best that they can. Aside from these visions, the Warren’s lives are quiet and peaceful which is in sharp contrast to the Smurl family in a small town called Pittston in Pennsylvania.

The Smurl family compiles of the parents, four daughters, and the father’s parents. They are a devout Catholic family who is in the process of celebrating the confirmation of Heather. The family has a good meal, cake, and Heather is treated to a huge gift from her grandparents: An antique mirror that is as beautiful as it is creepy. Just as soon as the mirror is unwrapped, the entire family begins experiencing paranormal activity to the highest degree. We’re talking levitation, items moving, terrifying spirits, injuries to the family, and a puke storm that would make the little girl in The Exorcist jealous.

Try as they might, the Smurl family cannot find help to rid their home of the angry spirits and take their scary story to the news. The Warren’s are none the wiser about this case but Judy has been keeping up to date and feels the Smurl household drawing her in. After tragedy strikes a dear friend who tried to help the Smurl family, Judy heads to Pennsylvania and her parents follow suit. By the time they arrive in Pittston, Grandma Smurl is being wheeled into an ambulance because something pushed her down the stairs. Judy has already offered her assistance and Ed and Lorraine reluctantly agree to help too. What happens next? You’re going to have to see The Conjuring: Last Rites to find out!

For the most part, I enjoyed this movie. My main qualm I had with it was the pacing because this was a slow burn and I mean slow. The first forty minutes or so of Last Rites was a back and forth situation. It got you up to speed on the Warrens and Judy’s relationship while showing minor instances of the Smurl family haunting. All the while, I was mentally willing this part of the flick to hurry the hell up because I wanted to get to the good stuff. The scary stuff! What transpired in the Smurl home really was scary but it felt like it was over before it even began. The major portion of their haunting consisted of roughly the last thirty-five minutes of the movie and it didn’t feel like it was enough. I always felt like The Conjuring films had an issue with pacing and Last Rites was a shining example of my complaints.

Other than the choppiness of the movie, it really came together once all of the key players of the film were together. Last Rites provided scares reminiscent of the first Conjuring movie – perhaps even more scary. I will never forget my level of fear seeing the first one in theaters and definitely was having similar reactions all of these years later. Also, it is worth saying that any movie with Patrick Wilson is alright by me because he is a dreamboat! If you are a fan of The Conjuring franchise, Last Rites is definitely a must see. Was it great? Absolutely not. But all in all it was a pretty good conclusion to the series.

I am going to rate The Conjuring: Last Rites with a six out of ten stars. It was certainly above average and I will happily watch it again when it comes out on streaming services!

What is your favorite scary movie? What is the last movie you saw in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul26

Groovy Movies: I Know What You Did Last Summer Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Groovy Movies: I Know What You Did Last Summer Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing the latest summer slasher, I Know What You Did Last Summer. When I ordered the tickets for the flick, the employee told me “I doubt it” lolol. Nice! This is bad but I did not see the original movie so I went into this reboot with zero expectations. I was, however, a huge fan of the author of the book, Lois Duncan, back in the day and knew I was in for a fun afternoon at the movie theater! Let’s get to it:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!

Southport is a lux ocean town for the ultra wealthy, but that wasn’t always the case. In 1997, brutal murders of a group of friends by a hook wielding fisherman took place. Two survivors remained who will never forget while the Southport police did everything in their power to erase the past. After a fancy land developer took the reigns on the town, it turned into the posh place to be with stunning ocean views. Southport is moving forward and the heinous crimes that took place are the last thing on anyone’s mind as they day drink their lives away. It’s certainly the last thing on bride to be, Danica’s mind.

Danica and Teddy are soon to be married and their old crew is back for the celebrations. There’s Ava and Milo as well as a straggler of the group, Stevie, who joins them before the night is out. After a big engagement party, the friends decide to keep the party going with some drinking and driving, sparking up blunts, and heading to a winding road with the best view of fireworks for the Fourth of July. Teddy has gotten turnt and a dangerous game of chicken as fireworks light up the sky brings a car crashing down into the rocky cliff. Rather than call the police, Teddy calls his dad who is the police and will make it look like this never happened. All they have to do is keep their mouths shut.

Fast forward to a year later and the gang is back for Danica’s bridal shower. As she opens her prezzies, she picks up an envelope expecting cash inside. What she receives is a card with the warning “I know what you did last summer” and just as we were all expecting, shit is about to hit the fan. The hook and harpoon wielding fisherman is back with a vengeance and whoever it is won’t stop until Danica, Teddy, Milo, Ava, Stevie, and a newcomer are six feet under. Their only choice is to stick close together and seek out advice from a survivor of the 1997 massacre. Her answer is simple: Kill whoever it is before they kill you. Who will make it out alive? Watch I Know What You Did Last Summer to find out!

Now, I am well aware that I Know What You Did Last Summer has gotten extremely lackluster reviews. Myself, on the other hand, liked it a lot! Maybe it’s because I didn’t see the original or maybe it’s because I saw the movie for what is was: A straight to the point summer slasher. A popcorn movie that requires nothing from you but to jump in and put your hands up for the ride. Was it the best movie I have ever seen? Of course not. Did I have fun watching it? I sure did!

I Know What You Did Last Summer was often hilarious, had insane kills, and a cast that worked really well together. The core group of friends was easy to root for which allowed for me to literally jump in my seat during the jump scares. It was a classic story with fresh and exciting twists and turns that had me hooked (Pun intended!). If you are feeling wishy washy about seeing this movie because of an attachment to the original film, think of it as watching something completely different. Something brand new that’s meant to entertain. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to watching it again with Johnny!

Overall, I am going to give I Know What You Did Last Summer a seven out of ten stars. I absolutely think it is worth seeing and I don’t think this movie’s reviews did it any justice!

Have you seen any movies this summer? Is there a movie coming out that you would like to see? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun20

Groovy Movies: Dangerous Animals Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Groovy Movies: Dangerous Animals Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! One of my clients is a huge horror movie fan and one of her favorite things to do is catch the newest scary flicks in theaters. Just like me! She also has a passion for creature themed scary movies so Dangerous Animals was an absolute must see for her. We ended up seeing it this past week and it was an excellent choice because we both loved it. In fact, everyone who we talked about it with wants to see it too. In a spoiler free setting, as always, let’s discuss:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!!

Dangerous Animals takes place in beautiful Australia with all of the sun, sand, surf, and… sharks that you could ever imagine. Zephyr, our leading lady, finds solace in the waves and spends her time on the beach, hocking snacks from gas stations, and living in her car. Tucker, our main baddie, also feels the call of the ocean – particularly to the sharks that inhabit the water. He runs a swim with the sharks cage diving adventure via his business “Tucker’s Experience”. When he’s not on his boat getting wasted, he is on the prowl for his newest victim. Tucker’s Experience is not simply cage diving, but a front for his favorite hobby of all: Watching the sharks nosh on the people who were looking for the thrill of a lifetime.

Tucker has been watching Zephyr and is intoxicated by her beauty, skills on the surfboard, and all of the booze that he chugs throughout the day. He must have her and blindsides her during an early morning surf. She wakes up on his boat handcuffed to a bed and meets another girl who got caught in his trap. Crafty Zephyr immediately sets to work to get them out of this deadly situation, but Tucker is just as clever too. With every step Zephyr takes towards freedom, Tucker is always one step ahead. He dubs her his “marlin” because of her fight, but let’s it be known that the marlin will always end up on the fisherman’s boat. Does Zephyr stand a fighting chance? Or will she end up as Tucker’s latest shark bait? Watch Dangerous Animals to find out!

From start to finish, Dangerous Animals was just pure fun and funny too! Jai Courtney as Tucker was a formidable leading man and carried this film with gusto. From his drunken dancing, drunken singing “Baby Shark”, and the ridiculousness he is constantly spewing, you could just tell that Courtney was having a ball playing this character. He was the ideal antagonist to the calm, cool, and collected Zephyr. While she was level headed throughout her terror, Tucker was on an entirely different planet and the juxtaposition between the two of them created a strong sense of urgency. No matter how cool Zephyr played it, crazy Tucker was there to play chess and it was a game of cat and mouse on the open seas.

Dangerous Animals clearly didn’t take itself too seriously and it made for a slasher that was so highly entertaining while still serving that classic horror movie gore. In fact, the humor that was consistent throughout the movie made all of the scares even scarier. It really did lull you into a false sense of complacency! This flick is the perfect summer slasher and was a wild ride. I would love to watch it again and can’t recommend it enough!

Overall, I am going to award Dangerous Animals with an eight out of ten stars. It was innovative, hilarious, and scary all in one and Jai Courtney did a phenomenal job. It’s worth a watch for his performance alone!

What movies are you looking forward to seeing? What was the last movie you saw in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar11

Fun & Games: Horrified – World Of Monsters Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Fun & Games: Horrified – World Of Monsters Edition

Hello! Johnny and I love playing board games together and one of our favorites is, hands down, Horrified. In this co-op game, your mission is to work as a team and save a village from classic horror movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and his Bride, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Each monster has its own unique way of being defeated with tasks you must complete and all the while, you have to protect yourself, teammates, and villagers on the board. It is so much fun!!

We have gotten great use out of Horrified and Johnny and I always hoped they would make a new board with new monsters. You could imagine our surprise when we found out there was three! In addition to the original, there is a board for American Monsters, Greek Monsters, and World of Monsters. This past weekend, we made a Target Run to see if they had any of these new boards available. They had World of Monsters and we played it as soon as we got home. We had an absolute blast!

The premise of World of Monsters is the exact same as the original Horrified but with brand new heroes, monsters, villagers, items, action cards, and objectives. In World of Monsters, you can go toe to toe with the Sphinx, Yeti, Jiangshi, and Cthulhu. As per the game’s recommendation, we battled the Sphinx and Yeti first to get a feel for the board. Johnny played as the Buccaneer and I chose the Parapsychologist. Both of these heroes worked really well together and we were able to utilize their strengths for optimal results because we reigned victorious. Granted, our Life Counter was getting down to the wire but we still won so who cares lol.

Despite the fact that the way you play the other Horrified games doesn’t change, World of Monsters still felt so fresh and new. It was exciting to see everything the new board had to offer and it looked amazing too! If you are as big of fans of the first game as Johnny and I am, then this is a must buy. We plan on getting the other two boards as well and I have a feeling we are going to be playing a lot. I am SO not mad about this and would love to pencil in a game if we are both up for it after work instead of retiring to the couch. These new boards are what we have been waiting for and, as great as the original is, it’s going to make returning to it after playing something different even better!

Horrified is an easy to learn, fast, total blast of a game and I cannot recommend World of Monsters enough. And I cannot wait to play more!!

What is your favorite board game? Have you played Horrified before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Groovy Movies: Heart Eyes Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Groovy Movies: Heart Eyes Edition

Hello!! I have had the pleasure of working with my very first client as an Independent Provider again and it is nothing short of a total joy. When I first started working with her almost a decade ago, one of our favorite community outings was going to see scary movies together. We both share a love for horror and slasher flicks and would hit the movie theater at least once per month. This past week, it was the most wonderful deja vu to go see Heart Eyes, as per her suggestion. This Valentine’s Day slasher checked all of my boxes and it was a blast from start to finish. I can’t wait to watch it again with Johnny because we both adore holiday themed scary movies! 😀

^^^ I do not have any rights to this video!

The Heart Eyes Killer or HEK for short has been terrorizing happy couples on Valentine’s Day for the past handful of years. Any cute couple displaying PDA is not safe from the scorn of this serial killer and they are advised to stay inside and keep their affection under wraps. This is no problem for Ally because saying she is unlucky in love is a total understatement. She went through a bad breakup and truly believes that romance is dead. So much so, that she created a dark ad campaign featuring famous death scenes from romance flicks for the jewelry company she works for to celebrate the season.

With the HEK on the loose, this could not have been a worse time for the campaign to launch so her employer sends in the big guns: A handsome freelancer named Jay who will surely create romantic magic to sell jewelry for Love Day. This comes as a HUGE shock to Ally who happened to have a meetcute encounter with Jay at the coffee shop prior to her campaign coming to a screeching halt. Jay would like Ally’s help for the new ad and invites her to dinner to which she agrees with the emphasis on it not being a date but a work meeting.

The restaurant they go to is very romantic and fully decked out for Valentine’s Day. It would be perfect minus the fact that Ally has sworn off of dating and, oh yeah, her ex boyfriend and his new flame have arrived for their reservation. To make her ex jealous, Ally engages Jay in a passionate kiss. Her former love isn’t the only one to see their lip lock – the HEK did too. In the killer’s heart shaped eyes, they broke the most important rule of all: Absolutely no PDA. From the moment Jay and Ally’s lips touched, their fate was sealed and the killer is hot on their tail. Will they survive the night after the Heart Eyes Killer targets them as the newest victims? Or, will true love conquer all? Watch Heart Eyes to find out!

As soon as Heart Eyes started, I was immediately in and remained that way for the entirety of the film. This short and sweet slasher was nonstop fun! It was hilarious, had some pretty nice eye candy, and crazy kills. My client and I couldn’t believe that a movie like this hadn’t been made before because the plot seems somewhat obvious. Then again, no one else has ever thought of it and Heart Eyes twisted this predictable plot into something shockingly fresh. Like I said, Johnny and I have grown most fond of holiday slashers and Heart Eyes is, easily, my favorite one yet. Is it the best scary movie ever? Of course not. Is it worth the watch? Absolutely!

Overall, I am going to rate Heart Eyes with an eight out of ten stars. Based on the fact alone that I wanted to watch it immediately again with Johnny after seeing it, I highly recommend giving it a watch!

What is the last movie you saw in theaters? What is your favorite scary movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah