Third Friday the 13th Horror Movie Maration

We won't have another Friday the 13th until September 2019, so we had better enjoy this one.

White Zombie (1932) with Cthulu, Sopapilla Bats and Boo-nanas

First up, a classic Bela Lugosi film set in Haiti. A couple travels to a plantation to be married at the invitation of the owner. Unbeknownst to them, he plans to use the powers of a local voodoo priest to steal away the bride for himself. Definite undertones of Dracula, esp. Nosferatu.

Bela Lugosi hyponotizes in the role of Murder Legrande. Sadly he settled for a flat salary for the film and regretted all of his life. His amazing eyes deserved a salary of their own.

Now I know, the whole appropriation of voodun culture and the preponderance of white, male characters makes this one problematic; however, to me that almost makes it a perfect example of rape culture and white superiority. Not what they intended but a pretty good allegory nonetheless.

A Quiet Place (2018)

Wasn't sure what to expect from this one but I was excited about it. And it did not disappoint. Sometime in the near future creatures appear that attack based on sound. Two parents do whatever is necessary to protect their children in this new and dangerous world.

The first thing you are struck by is the silence. It is almost like one of the characters itself. Speaking of characters, the acting is superb. Even the little boy is quite good. The parents are played by real life couple Emily Blunt and John Krasinski and their on screen chemistry is obvious. The stand-out, however, is the daughter, Millicent Simmonds. This is only her second film but we should expect great things from her in the future. Overall an outstanding film.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) with Spiderweb Taco Dip and Chips

Musical time! A barber who was unjustly sentenced to transportation returns to London with a new name to be reunited with wife and child but discovers that his wife is dead and his daughter the ward of the judge who sentenced him. Full of bloody good fun!

Although the CGI is a bit much at the beginning, this version of the legend is quite a trip. The above song makes me a bit sad that I enjoy it so much but it is creepy good. Can't help but laugh out loud as I sing along.

Ghostbusters (2016) with Green Slime Popcorn

I know, I know. Some people hated this one. But I am not one of those people. I love the concept, I love the characters, and I love the cameos. Holtzmann is my hero; she's badass, smart as hell, and

could totally be my best friend....or maybe my girlfriend. That would be cool.

Patty and Abby are the heart of the group and Kevin, well what's not to like about Kevin?

Pretty sure most of the haters just didn't want their movie remade with women. How can they complain so much when this was Dan Aykroyd's original idea for the sequel in the first place? The dance at the end makes me laugh so hard. I would so make everyone thriller dance if I could control people's movements, wouldn't you?

IT Part 1 (2017) with Skelasagna, Eyeball Caprese, and Bread Snakes with Blood (Sangria) and Strawberry Monsters for dessert

Moved to the Eighties but still pretty close to the book, the first part of IT draws you in with the creepiness and keeps you watching for the friendships and the surprising amount of hope. Of course, there are a lot of similarities to Stranger Things that pop up, mostly because Stranger Things is in part an homage to IT and other Stephen King movies. 

Skaarsgard is not Tim Curry but he is pretty damn creepy in his own right. With a whole year to wait for the next installment, watching this can be a bit frustrating.

Well, that's it for this installment. We'll try to do this again on Halloween, if we can.

What I Read in June

AAAAHHHH! Summer is crazy!

Okay, I feel better. So anyway, I challenged myself to read mostly books that I already own and then decide if I am keeping them or not; those will be marked with a 😣. Little bit of cleaning up for summer.

Reviewing three picture books today:



Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

When Julián notices some ladies on the bus dressed as mermaids, he is fascinated and decides to make his own mermaid costume. His grandmother discovers him and they both go to a parade full of mermaids.

I love the soft pastel colors and graceful lines of the art. I love that everyone is a different body type. And, of course, I love that Julián's grandmother supports him and doesn't act like dressing up makes him inferior. Such a lovely book!



Ocean Meets Sky by Terry and Eric Fan

After his grandfather dies, Finn decides to honor him by building his own ship and sailing on a magical journey. Fantastic illustrations and a careful exploration of grief for children makes this a stand-out.



Drawn Together by Minh Le; illustrated by Dan Santat

A boy and his grandfather think they have nothing in common until they work together to create a supernatural world and a pair of heroes on a mission. The combined art styles are gorgeous and the language and cultural barriers that are overcome are very real. The idea of art as a form of communication is amazing.

 1. The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes
 2. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
 3. Blaze by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King) 😣
 4. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
 5. Peter and Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths by Graham Annable
 6. Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan; illustrated by Eric Fan
 7. Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam by Elizabeth Partridge
 8. Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger
 9. Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension vol. 2 by Nick Abadzis, Cavan Scott, and George Mann; illustrated by Rachael Stott and Mariano Lacclaustra
10. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 😣
11. Juliản is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
12. Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce; illustrated by Ềdith
13. New Shoes by Sara Vernon
14. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
15. Drawn Together by Minh Le; illustrated by Dan Santat
16. I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly; illustrated by J. M. Ken Nimura
17. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 😣
18. The Dream Coach by Anne Parrish; illustrated by Dillwyn Parrish