Monday, November 28, 2016

Fantastic Beasts and Hacksaw Ridge Movie Reviews! Plus When Animals Attack, New Releases, and Ninja News

Hey guys! Hope your Thanksgiving was great. I certainly enjoyed my week with family. I’m happy to be back, though.

And today, I am appearing at Lidy Wilks’ site, Paving My Author’s Road, discussing what to do when a publishing deal goes south. (No one knows what that’s like, right?)

Movie Reviews

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Set in 1926 America, the film is both familiar and fresh. We have the wizard world backdrop with all new characters and a new location. (And some new terms – in America, Muggles are called No-Maj.)
The creatures themselves are indeed fantastic; some even a little bit mischievous. But Newt (Eddie Redmayne) is determined to keep them safe during his final stop in New York. One gets out, sending Newt on a path of not only catching the escaped beasts, but unravelling the mystery of the force attacking the city.
The actors do a fine job. Dan Fogler has some of the best moments in the film.
Rowling played it safe with the screenplay. Some elements are overplayed (the old briefcases-get-switched trick) and a LOT of time is spent setting up and establishing Newt’s character before the real story gets underway. The film could’ve been trimmed by about fifteen minutes and the story a bit more focused.
Overall, it was enjoyable and Harry Potter fans will eat it up.
Somewhat recommended.

Hacksaw Ridge
The true story of a WWII Army Medic who becomes the first man to win the Medal of Honor without carrying or firing a weapon.
This is a very moving human story. It’s about one man’s convictions, not just as a conscientious objector, but to do what he was called to do. Private Doss followed God despite the circumstances.
Director Gibson knows how to involve you in the characters and the story. Once the action begins, it’s all encompassing. It’s powerful and intense – the war scenes are brutally honest. Despite the violence, it’s a beautiful film.
Andrew Garfield fit well as Doss – genuine, a little naïve, and convicted. Weaving and Vaughn turn in great performances and it’s probably Worthington’s best performance since Avatar.
A powerful, moving film and a possible Oscar contender. (And at the end, you get to see some of the real men involved, including Doss.) Highly recommended.

Hell or High Water
Two brothers rob various branches of the bank threatening to foreclose on their family’s land with a retiring Texas Ranger in pursuit.
This is a small film with the same vibe as No Country for Old Men but more laid-back. It shows how people can do the wrong thing for the right reason – do the ends justify the means?
Chris Pine and Ben Foster turn in excellent performances as the wayward brothers. In the role of an aging Texas Ranger, Jeff Bridges is ornery, funny, and wildly racist (at the expense of his half-Comanche partner.) The West Texas setting is a character as well, one reeking of crushed dreams.
This film surprised me. Probably another Oscar contender. Highly recommended.

When Animals Attack

When Animals Attack, edited by Vanessa Morgan, is now available for pre-order – and I am one of the contributing authors!

The definitive horror movie guide for fans of killer animals and “nature strikes back” movies.
When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into the cinematographic world of animals on the rampage. From well-known predators such as sharks and lions to unusual killing machines like turkeys, elephants, frogs, cats, and rabbits, there is no shortage of the species on display in this book.
Leading horror writers and filmmakers present their favorite “animals attack” films through in-depth essays. Some of the films are touching, some are repulsive, and some are just plain silly. Not all of these horror movies line up with the critical consensus, yet they have one thing in common: they have made the heart of the writer beat faster with excitement.

Find it on Amazon, Amazon UK, and Goodreads


Ninja News

If you’re looking for new blogs, Site Hound Sniffs has a great listing, broken down into categories. Site owner Jerry has put a lot of effort into building it up, so check it out – and definitely email him about including your blog.

Random shot –

Mini-Alex hanging out with a Heptapod from Arrival.




Reedsy posted a great article - Writing in Third Person Omniscient vs Third Person Limited – that you need to check out.



CassaDawn comes out on Tuesday, December 6!

You can pre-order it now.





New Releases

Catalyst by Kristin Smith
(The Deception Game, #1)
Too pretty.
Too smart.
Too perfect.
In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in.
Find it here: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo
Find Kristin here: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Blog

From Story Idea to Reader by Patsy Collins and Rosemary J. Kind
Available November 30
From Story Idea to Reader is an easily accessible guide to writing fiction. Whether you are brushing up on your writing skills or starting out, this book will take you through the whole process from inspiration to conclusion. No matter if you are looking to submit your work for publication, enter a competition, or want to self-publish, this practical guide will help you every step of the way.
Find it on Amazon

100 Haiku for the 80s Generation by Dean K. Miller and Kerrie Flanagan
Find at Hot Chocolate Press and Amazon

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose
Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.
Available at Amazon




Anyone else see Fantastic Beasts or Hacksaw Ridge? Have you see Hell or High Water? Eager to see what movies When Animals Attack covers? (And which movie I wrote about?) Picking up some new books? And how was your Thanksgiving holiday?
I’ll be back next Wednesday for Insecure Writer’s Support Group post day.
Don’t forget to visit Paving My Author’s Road!

114 comments:

The Angry Lurker said...

Looking forward to Hacksaw Ridge and now Hell and High Water!

Rhonda Albom said...

Welcome back. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. (It's not a holiday here in New Zealand). I haven't seen any of these movies, as we have been travelling. I think I will see Fantastic Beasts. Congrats on being a contributing author for When Animals Attack and for Cassa Dawn.

Mason Canyon said...

Looks like three interesting movies to check out. Congratulations to everyone with new releases, including you with CassaDawn and your contribution to When Animals Attack.

Stephanie Faris said...

Glad you enjoyed your Thanksgiving! My mother-in-law briefly mentioned seeing the J.K. Rowling movie, but my stepdaughter had already seen it and it's not really my type of movie. I love J.K.'s writing...the movies just end up to be too much action for me.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Congrats to those with new releases!

Cathrina Constantine said...

There's many good movies that come out at this time of year. I look forward to seeing them, and I always appreciate your recommendations!

Have an awesome week.

Natalie Aguirre said...

I haven't seen the Harry Potter movie. I want to but may just wait till I can get it on Netflix. Glad you have a good Thanksgiving. Me too. And I unplugged like you. It was great.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Congrats on CassaDawn, and to all the other new books and their authors this week.

I was hoping to see Arrival in the cinema, but I don't have the time. Already got my ticket for Rogue One :-) Those are the only two on my radar - didn't even realise Fantastic Beasts was out until I heard an advert on the radio the other day!

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Alex!

Mrs. Shady and I like films based on true stories, especially WWII dramas. Hacksaw Ridge seems like a winner and we will add it to our list. She likes Jeff Bridges and movies set in the West. I loved the bank robbing Gecko brothers and Texas rangers in From Dusk Till Dawn. Therefore, Hell Or High Water also looks like a good fit. Over the years I watched at least a hundred horror movies about killer kritters. When Animals Attack will surely make a great stocking stuffer for guys like me this Christmas.

Thanks for the movie and book reviews, good buddy, and have a great week!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - glad you had a good break. I doubt I'll see those films - but I have ones I need to get to see ... Gosh some great new books and blogs out there ... and yes I'll be over. Congratulations on Cassa Dawn on the 6th ... welcome back! Cheers Hilary

Dean K Miller said...

You know it's a good movie when the ending is foretold, but still they pull it off. Hacksaw Ridge is one of those, as was Sully. Yup, got me a new book or two on the way! Thanks, Alex.

Pat Hatt said...

I've got Hell or High Water on cue to watch. Others I'll wait for the dvd or Netflix. Congrats on your upcoming release too.

M.J. Fifield said...

Had a chance to see Fantastic Beasts over the weekend, and I had a great time. I am, of course, a big Harry Potter fan, so there was an excellent chance I would think that anyway.

Haven't seen Hell or High Water. It sadly hasn't show up in a theater near me. But I've been hearing great things about it, so I'm eager to check it out.

And a book of haiku for the 80's generation? I'm so totally there.

kaykuala said...

Welcome back Alex after a deserving break! A wonderful line-up of movies here. Have a special interest in Hacksaw Ridge with it military stance.Congrats to those with new releases!

Hank

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Looks like a couple of year's best films there! And I liked Mini-Alex with the Heptapod. :) Glad you had a good break!

Patsy said...

Best of luck for the launch of Cassa Dawn!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Glad you had a good Thanksgiving, Alex! We did as well.

I want to see all three movies! Hopefully, we'll watch either Hell or High Water or Don't Breathe this weekend, both available on iTunes. Hmm, maybe we'll watch both. :)

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm definitely going to give Fantastic Beasts a viewing.

Tonja Drecker said...

Love Mini-Alex's new friend and glad you had a nice Thanksgiving. I just stepped out of a chance to see Fantastic Beasts...maybe that was a mistake.

Jo said...

Glad you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Break Alex. How are the fires doing in your neck of the woods lately?

Some great sounding movies which I hope to see one of these days.

Congrats on the new Cassa Book.

Julie Flanders said...

Ooh I need to check out the Site Hound list. What a great idea. Cassa Dawn will be coming out on my birthday so I feel sure that will bring it good luck! ;)

Glad you enjoyed your Thanksgiving!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Rhonda and Mason!

Stephanie, you probably wouldn't enjoy it then.

Natalie, it was awesome!

Annalisa, definitely looking forward to Rogue One.

Shady, those two films are perfect for you. What Private Doss accomplished is nothing short of a miracle.

Thanks, Hilary!

Dean, you're welcome. And knowing the ending didn't hurt at all.

Thanks, Pat!

MJ, check NetFlix for Hell or High Water. We saw it On Demand last week.

Elizabeth, I couldn't resist that photo.

Thanks, Patsy!

Tonja, video might end up being better for that film.

Thanks, Jo. Fortunately no fires in our area.

Julie, I hope it does!

Truedessa said...

Welcome back Alex, Cute pic of mini ninja and heptapod from Arrival. I saw that movie and it was a mind blower with so many layers to discover. I want to see it again. The cast worked so well together and Jeremy Renner is always fun to watch.

Jerry at Site Hound has a great site and there are so many bloggers listed. I am proud to be included, as I gave him the ok. I plan to go back and visit some new sites.

I will have to pre-order Cassa Dawn as that is a must read for me.



Patricia Stoltey said...

Glad to have you back, Alex. All three of the movies you listed are on my list. I usually wait for Netflix releases, but Fantastic Beasts is one I want to see on the big screen.

Joanne said...

glad you enjoyed your Thanksgiving break and Mini-Alex is looking good too. I enjoyed Fantastic Beasts, but would have also edited it down a bit. Hell or High Water was a slick "little" movie. I hope more folks discover it. Congrats to new authors and books - how is Pat Hatt not listed? He should be daily - ha! Take care and enjoy leftovers this week.

Sandra Cox said...

I love the premise of Hacksaw and so appreciate the character it was based on, but I don't think I could watch it.


Congrats, to everyone with releases.

Woo Hoo, JQ!

Arlee Bird said...

The trailer for Fantastic Beasts is pretty cool, but I'd say Hacksaw Ridge would be of more interest to my wife and I. I am looking forward to seeing Hell or High Water.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Bob/Sally said...

When Animals Attack sounds like a fun read.

Christine Rains said...

I love Harry Potter, but I think I'm holding back on seeing Fantastic Beasts. I spent some time watching the Thanksgiving Marathon of MST3K. I turned it on in time to see them riff that Canadian film with all their Canadian jokes. Hehehe! Awesome cover for When Animals Attack. I'm happy to be in the collection with you. :) My Thanksgiving was quiet as I didn't have to travel this year. Now on to a productive December! Have a great week.

Chrys Fey said...

Somewhat recommended? That's okay. I can't wait to see Fantastic Beasts. :)

The Cynical Sailor said...

Congratulations to everyone on their new releases, including you with CassaDawn. Can't wait to read it. My Thanksgiving was lovely. A great meal with friends that we ate outside on the picnic table and a campground.

cleemckenzie said...

Congrats on the Cassa Dawn! That's very exciting.

I haven't done much movie going these days. I've had my head in holiday prep mode which means planning meals, having clean sheets and being very domestic. Even the writing has been put on hold.



Sheena-kay Graham said...

Pre-ordered CassaDawn as soon as I saw it on your guest post Alex. Fantastic Beasts has been said in reviews to have some issues so I get why you didn't highly recommend it. Glad to hear it's still a fun time though. Hell or High Water is movie gold. So glad I saw it in theaters. Hacksaw Ridge trailer brought tears to my eyes. Yes, you can make a difference in the military without firing a gun on the battlefield. It touched me deeply and I haven't even seen the movie yet. When Animals Attack sounds exciting but ouch that almost $10 pricetag. My mother plans to finally get on Amazon. I might just mooch off her kindle unlimited to read this one. Will be sure to review either way. Support the author community! Love that you gave Mini Alex a new friend. An alien one no less! A big hey to all the authors featured today and have a great day Alex. See you next week for IWSG!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I'm intrigued by Hackshaw Ridge. The medic who didn't carry a weapon - that takes "heroic" to a whole new level.

Good to have you back, Alex.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Truedessa, thanks! And yes, Arrival was mind-blowing.

Joanne, his slipped in this morning - I'll list Pat's book next week.

Sandra, it is intense, but not the most intense war movie I've ever seen. Just realistic.

Lee, it's On Demand right now.

Christine, their Thanksgiving marathon is always awesome. And cool you wrote a piece for that book as well!

Ellen, thanks!

Thanks, Lee. And I know what you mean.

Sheena-kay, thanks! You'll be emotionally overwhelmed when you do see the movie. And don't blame you for mooching Kindle Unlimited.

Robyn, and what he did all by himself was incredible.

Mark said...

Just saw the new Fantastic Beasts film myself and loved it. Dan Fogler totally steals the show, a pleasant surprise for sure:)

Elephant's Child said...

Glad you had a pleasant break. You were missed.
Congratulations (as always) to those with new work out. And thanks. Also as always.

Carrie-Anne said...

Hacksaw Ridge sounds like the type of film that would be carried by one of the local indie theatres. One of them shows mostly modern films that aren't huge blockbusters (e.g., foreign, art house, historical dramas, documentaries), while the other mostly shows classics, documentaries, and some current films that have ended their runs at the big theatres. I'm definitely interested in seeing it.

Liz A. said...

I actually saw Fantastic Beasts. (Me at the movies? Weird.) I've heard good things about the other two.

Nick Wilford said...

Of course I've heard loads of buzz about Fantastic Beasts but I hadn't heard of the other two movies you reviewed, thanks for the tips. Not being much of an HP fan, Hacksaw Ridge sounds more interesting to me! Glad you had a relaxing break and congrats on your inclusion in When Animals Attack. That book sounds fun.

Anonymous said...

I want to see Fantastic Beasts, but haven't been in the mood to drive over to Canada. Well, the drive isn't bad, it's customs I don't want to deal with.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

My children went to see Fantastic Beasts and they loved it. Thanksgiving was great. Everyone was pretty tired by yesterday. Too much fun.

J E Oneil said...

Mel Gibson makes me uncomfortable. But Hell Or High Water sounds really good. I definitely want to see that.

Jemi Fraser said...

Excited for CassaDawn!
Hubby isn't a HP fan, so I'll wait for Fantastic Beasts to come out on DVD or TV - but I'm looking forward to it :)

Andrew Leon said...

I just can't get excited about Fantastic Beasts, especially now that I've heard they've increased it to five films. What the literal hell? This is the definition of cashing in.

Denise Covey said...

Glad to hear you had a happy Thanksgiving, Alex. I went to see The Light Between Oceans yesterday. Cool movie, they type I like. Thanks for the heads up of the new releases and all the best for CassaDawn! You must be so excited!

Jeremy [Retro] said...

WOW, so much I am missing... where have I been! :)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Hell or High Water also surprised me with its quality. I went because a friend dearly wanted to see it. I am glad I did. I wish you high sales with CassaDawn!

SpacerGuy said...

I couldn't get over how good Fantastic Beasts is to watch on trailer with its magical creatures brainwashing my simple mind. The knowledge was simply fantastic. I found the experience quite exhilarating - thanks Alex, now if creatures like these were real - it does make one think well why not?

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I cried at Hacksaw Ridge. Such a moving and incredible story.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

So many good movies to see! I haven't had the time to spare yet to go see any. Waaaaaaaa. And congrats on being part of When Animals Attack.

Kristin Smith said...

Thank you so much, Alex, for the shout out for Catalyst!! So fun seeing the cover on your blog! ;)

I really want to see Fantastic Beasts, but we took the kids to see Moana over Thanksgiving weekend instead.

Love the pic of mini Alex! Good luck with your upcoming release!

Karen Lange said...

Glad you had a good break! Had a nice Thanksgiving weekend. And now back to work! :)

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

I haven't seen anything, but hope to see Fantastic Beasts. I may wait for the video though.
A lot of great sounding new books out too.
Congratulations on your latest.
Have a good week.

Karen Peterson said...

Totally agree about Fantastic Beasts. I haven't seen Hacksaw Ridge yet, but I want to.

Tony Laplume said...

Loved Fantastic Beasts. Picked up Hell or High Water on Black Friday (yes, I bought something at a normal price on Black Friday), so I'll finally get to watch that soon enough.

DMS said...

I haven't seen Fantastic Beasts yet- but it is definitely on my list. As a huge HP fan, I know I will check it out soon. :) Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
~Jess

stephen Hayes said...

Twice we've tried to see Fantastic Beasts but had to cancel both times.

mail4rosey said...

My son's never been to a drive-in and Fantastic Beasts was playing so I wanted to take him. We didn't get the chance to go though, our time ran over (we were at the chocolate factory tour next door, with a lot of family). :) Next time!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Carrie-Anne, you should go see it!

Nick, go see it. You will be amazed.

JE, he still makes amazing movies though!

Jemi, thanks!

Andrew, I agree!

Denise, I am!

Jeremy! Just glad you are still with us.

Thanks, Roland!

Spacer Guy, if only they were real...

Thanks, Lynda.

Kristin, you're welcome!

Tony, you will be impressed.

Stephen, that might be telling you something.

Birgit said...

I missed you the last time because of crap. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. My weekend was eventful but did too much and am paying for it. Love to see all these movies and I believe Hacksaw Ridge will be up for awards and so will the other film with Bridges. This, too, will be up and running.

Helena said...

Hello Alex -- Sorry I've been absent for a couple weeks. I've been in a dark place since the election but am starting to move back into the light.

I really want to see Hacksaw Ridge and Arrival, and I've heard Allied is good too. Finally, some intelligent movies for grownups!

I had a good Thanksgiving and am glad that yours was great. I mostly slept on my days off, which told me how run down I've become!

Nilanjana Bose said...

Welcome back! Happy to hear you've had a great break. I was/am a Harry Potter fan, but I've likely watched too many HP films, and read the books too many times...feel no special urge to watch Fantastic Beasts. Hacksaw Ridge sounds way more interesting, though I have to admit - too much violence puts me off.

nashvillecats2 said...

Great ti have you back Alex, you were truly missed.
Loved all the updated news and views.
Sorry I'm late but as they say better late than never.
Yvonne.

Barbara said...

Hi Alex, I’m looking forward to seeing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and was dreading you saying it was ‘pants’ or something similar. I’m so pleased you didn’t!
I don’t really fancy Hell or High Water or Hacksaw Ridge, but as you’ve given them such high ratings, I think I should give them a go. I’m sure my husband will enjoy both.
When Animals Attack sounds intriguing, and I will be checking it out.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Helena, I was gone all last week myself.

Nila, Fantastic Beasts probably won't change your mind.

Barbara, those two movies will surprise you.

L.G. Keltner said...

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Mine was certainly eventful. I had a baby last Tuesday and ended up getting out of the hospital Thanksgiving morning. I spent the entire weekend getting settled in and didn't accomplish much else. Unless you count eating way too much food as an accomplishment, of course!

Fundy Blue said...

Hi, Alex! Welcome back! I'm glad that you had a great Thanksgiving week with your family, and congratulations on your new book! I always enjoy your movie reviews. I keep planning to see them, but life gets in the way. I'm flying again today. I'm looking forward to being home and having internet access for a few days. Doing catchup and get ahead are on my list. Have a great week!

Al Penwasser said...

Never read a Harry Potter book, never saw an entire Harry Potter movie. To me, the whole wizards thing...meh. So, Fantastic Beasts doesn't sound so fantastic to me.
But, before anyone accuses me of being a snooty, pretentious so and so, I admit that I enjoy Game of Thrones.

Dianne K. Salerni said...

I saw TWO movies in the past 10 days. Go me!

I thought Fantastic Beasts was visually entertaining, but the characters felt pretty shallow and the actor who played Newt seemed to be drawing on Matt Smith's Doctor as his source of inspiration.

I also saw Arrival and really enjoyed it, although I was hoping for more out of the reveal at the end.

Sandra Cox said...

Oooh, congrats on the anthology, Alex!!!

farawayeyes said...

Glad to hear that you had as good Thanksgiving. Mine was wonderful. Went to Disneyland with the family. Thanksgiving Day in
Disneyland was absolutely fabulous. Crowds weren't too bad and everyone was in a festive mood and so kind and courteous.
Disney did dinner for us and I truly enjoyed that (first time in forever that I didn't cook). I highly recommend Disney at the Holidays.

I did see 'Fantastic Beasts' at the IMAX at Universal Studios on opening night and thought it was great. Then we took the kids to see 'Moana' at Disneyland on opening night and I thoroughly enjoyed that one too. The overall atmosphere may have helped, but I do think both movies were fun.

I am looking forward to seeing 'Hacksaw Ridge' and 'come Hell or High Water', but with the Holidays and all some of the new movies may have to wait for DVD release.

J Lenni Dorner said...

I hadn’t heard of Hacksaw Ridge. Thanks for the heads up!
I thought Fantastic Beasts was pretty good.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Welcome back! My Thanksgiving was quiet and the day after we went to see Arrival. Interesting movie.

Toi Thomas said...

Glad to hear your holiday went well. Mine was pleasantly uneventful.

I haven't seen any movies lately, but all these sound pretty good.

I'm interested to see what movies are listed in When Animals Attack. Sounds like a fun read.

I'm also very excited about CassaDawn.

Looking for to IWSG day.

Juneta key said...

Congrats to all new release authors. I loved Fantastic Beast. Saw it Saturday in the comfort recliner in revamped theater. Happy Holidays.

Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

Deniz Bevan said...

Glad to see your review! I probably won't have a chance to see the movie for a while, so I've ordered the screenplay to read!

George Beremov [Nebular] said...

Fantastic Beasts I enjoyed. Hell or High Water was good, but nowhere near the masterpiece everyone claimed it is. I mean... c'mon!
Hacksaw Ridge I sadly missed to see, and I totally regret it.

Crystal Collier said...

My son really liked Fantastic Beasts (he's read the HP books about 17 times--no exaggeration), but even he admitted it wasn't A+ material. You're not the first person I've heard say Hacksaw Ridge was beyond fantastic. I think we're going to have to do that one.

CassaDawn is almost out? That rocks! I'm so stoked for you.

Yay for Kristin! She's been working so hard on her book release.

Congrats Patsy, Dean and J.Q!

Anonymous said...

Hacksaw Ridge is definitely on our list. I was never a huge Harry Potter fan. *Hides* Though the new movie has an excellent trailer.

Congrats on CassaDawn! I will let my nephew know. :)

Merry Christmas, Alex!

Sandra Cox said...

Many congrats on the upcoming CassaDawn! Woo Hoo!

Yolanda Renée said...

I had a great Thanksgiving. Thanks for asking. I'm even looking forward to Christmas, although I'm not spending any money. Maybe that's why! :)

Great reviews, as always!

Melissa Sugar said...

Congrats on Cassa Dawn. Glad you had a nice Thanksgiving. I want to see Hacksaw Ridge (guess I just have to be over my issues with Mel Gibson) and Hell or High Water and it's already on Direct Tv. Congratulations to all those with new releases- Catalyst sounds cool. I love haikues. I can't stop myself from buying writing how to books. Hell, they all sound good. And thanks for the intro to the new blog. This was quite an informative visit.

Pat Tillett said...

Hacksaw Ridge and Hell or High Water both sound good to me. Thanks for the heads up Alex!

Anonymous said...

Mini-Alex looks like he's having a blast! What am I saying? Of course he is, he always does!

Site Hound Sniffs has a TON of blogs. I just checked it out. Holy cow! I may have to email him about including my blog ;)

Good luck with your new releases, Alex. When Animals Attack sounds like a lot of fun!

Loni Townsend said...

The movies look good, though I'm not sure if or when I'll ever get around to watching them. I might have to sit down and watch the entire Harry Potter series with my kiddos, and then tack Fantastic Beasts onto the end. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

LG, congratulations!

Fundy, you are the traveler.

Al, that makes it all better.

Faraway, wow! Now that is the way to celebrate the holidays.

Toi, thanks! Just a few more days...

George, you need to catch that one. It will really get to you.

Thanks, Crystal!

Liz, appreciate that.

Melissa, just separate the man from the director.

Pat, you would enjoy both!

Elsie, email him!

Loni, or Fantastic Beasts first since it's set in the past...

Jeffrey Scott said...

So that is what Fantastic Beasts is all about. I keep hearing about it in different places, but had no idea it was related to Harry Potter. Speaking of beasts, When Animals Attack sounds like an interesting read. So are tornadoes filled with sharks considered a best film? I should pick this up at some point and find out. My favourite animal horror films include Arachnids.

Magic Love Crow said...

So nice to hear you had a great Thansgiving! Thanks for the reviews! Congrats on When Animals Attack!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Congrats to all of the new book authors, and to you, Alex, for CassaDawn!
I will pre-order when I can . . . (there's a story there, but can't share it).

Thanks for the movie reviews! We are holding off on movies until at least after finals week next week (my oldest takes community college classes as a senior in high school). We may even wait until the week before Christmas.

Looking forward to IWSG!

kjmckendry said...

Looking forward to seeing some movies over the holidays!

Congratulations on CassaDawn!!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Glad that your Thanksgiving with family went very well. I like the culture or shall I say the ritual of Thanksgiving.

Excited for CassaDawn. Good luck, Alex.

Sherry Ellis said...

I saw Fantastic Beasts with my son. I enjoyed the beasts. I thought they were quite imaginative. As far as the story line goes, I wasn't entirely impressed. It didn't hold me like Harry Potter.

Unknown said...

I'm happy your Turkey day was fun! I was really looking forward to Rowling's new venture. I'd much rather watch/read adult than kid characters so I was hoping this would be a new series for her.

Hacksaw Ridge sounds amazing. I love that it's a true story. Hell or High Water isn't for me. I'm way too ethical.

Congrats to Vanessa (and you, Alex)!

I don't want to be a skeptic, but Mini-Alex's new friend looks like a cabbage root to me. ;)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jeffrey, I know my piece didn't include tornado sharks, but maybe someone else wrote about them.

Tyrean, thanks! And you will have a huge list of movies to see by that time.

Sherry, it wasn't a strong story.

Lexa, actually it's broccoli...

Blue Grumpster said...

I liked the beasts a whole lot, but the lead made me yawn. I just don't think he's likable.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Congrats on the upcoming release and the antho! I will probably be seeing Fantastic Beasts next week with the kids (I wait until they won't be so packed). I've heard mixed reviews on the film, but my daughter's really excited to see it. I think everything Rowling writes could be a bit shorter, but it obviously hasn't hurt her.

Sandra Cox said...

Wow! Just went over to Site Hounds. What a great idea.
Hope you and your wife are having a wonderful weekend.

erica and christy said...

Congratulations on your upcoming release!! We took our boys to Fantastic Beasts. Our oldest devoured the Harry Potter series and he loved it. He's excited for more. Christy

Robin said...

I wondered if the Rowling movie would be good or not. Sounds like it's pretty good. Can be hard to deliver when expectations are so high...

I hadn't heard of either of the other two, but I am sooo out of the loop that I'm not sure I can even find the loop any longer. They both sound good. Director Gibson? Mel Gibson?

kimlajevardi.com said...

Welcome back! Glad you had a great vacation with your family. I'm kind of thinking about seeing Fantastic Beasts now. I was on the fence. I loved all the Harry Potter books and movies so much that I was worried that by trying to revive the success, they would kill it.

Mason T. Matchak said...

I haven't seen any of those movies, but I like that you pointed out the setting of West Texas as a character as well. I think that sort of thing often gets overlooked in all kinds of stories - where it's all happening can be just as important as what's happening and who's involved.

H.R. Bennett said...

I saw Fantastic Beasts and absolutely Loved it! It was everything I hoped for and more. The next big one I'm personally waiting for now is 'Passengers'

Jennie Bennett said...

I loved Fantastic Beasts, but I'm a huge HP fan :)

cleemckenzie said...

I'm looking forward to seeing Hacksaw Ridge. I've heard great things about it. Thanks for the link to the Reedsy post. I'll be checking out your newest, Alec. Take care and good luck.

Heather M. Gardner said...

I'm jealous of the movies you've gotten to see lately. I feel like I'm always two years behind when it comes to watching anything!

Best of luck tomorrow!

Heather

Sandra Cox said...

Haven't been to the theater since we saw The Accountant. I've got some catching up to do:)

alexia said...

I loved Fantastic Beasts! I'm a big fan of the 1920s, and I loved all the creatures. Plus the Grimwald thing surprised me!! Not expecting that actor. So stoked.

Elizabeth said...

My friends and I really enjoyed Fantastic Beasts, of course we are huge Potter fans :) It was refreshing though, as my friend brought up, that they weren't spending all this time learning magic. Instead it was adults, in action, using it as a part of their everyday lives.

CassaDawn is out tomorrow! Congrats on your release!

J.H. Moncrieff said...

Thanks for all the helpful links, Alex! I'll definitely check out your guest post.

Congrats on your big launch today!

It feels good to be back. :)

Leandra Wallace said...

I really hope to see Fantastic Beasts when I'm on vacation at the end of the month. And congrats on the anthology!! I love that cover! And eep, I spy my cp's book, Catalyst. =)

Tamara Narayan said...

I did see Fantastic Beasts and enjoyed it for the most part, but felt some of the different story lines were too disjoint. Hacksaw Ridge looks good, but I might wait for Redbox on that one. I trying hard to remember the last time I saw a movie where animals attacked. Hmm. I remember some scary tarantula ones and piranha ones from my youth.

Sandra Cox said...

Happy Book Birthday, Alex!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

I've already ordered "CassaDawn," and am looking forward to reading it.

And the new Stars Wars movie? What can I say? As long as they keep churning those movies out, I'll keep watching them.