Monday, September 13, 2021

Small Forgotten Moments, Movie and Show Reviews, and New Releases!

If you loved these films, you might like Small Forgotten Moments


It’s my husband’s bugbear that I rarely watch new films. Of course, I do, but not as many as him, so when Alex suggested I share the films which tie in with my latest novel, Small Forgotten Moments, I realised I’d be taking you on a small detour into the dark and murky past…

The Others
Intense and claustrophobic, this is a film where nothing is what it seems. Despite the peaceful, almost docile ambience, the viewer is left unsettled and, personally speaking, more than a little creeped out.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
A wonderful observation on the effect and importance of memories. Although Small Forgotten Moments had to follow a linear path, I love books and films which don’t, and this is an excellent example.


Memento

While Eternal Sunshine looks at giving up memories, Memento deals with those which are never made and the struggles Guy Pierce’s character endures – battling through the fog to discover the truth.

Vincent and the Doctor (Doctor Who, series 5, episode 10)
I’ve included this because it’s such a beautiful portrayal of the artistic mind – fragile yet resilient. And because I’m a huge fan of Doctor Who. I doubt there’s anything more poignant than Amy running back into the museum when she thinks they saved Vincent expecting to see brand ‘new’ work. And nothing more stunning for an artist/author/musician to hear what their work means to people so far into a future they’ll never know. Bill Nighy gives an excellent speech where he expresses how important van Gogh is to the world. I cried when I first saw it; I’ve shed a tear each time since.

Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall, UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, two sons, and canine writing partner, Artoo. She is the author of four short story collections, and two novels.

Links: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo



Movie & Show Reviews


The Suicide Squad

Definitely the best film I’ve seen all year!
James Gunn brought his A game as director and brings out the best in every character.
It’s funny on so many levels. Plus sleek and stylish. So many great characters and moments.
A superior follow up to Suicide Squad, this was well worth the movie theater tickets and the HBO Max viewings. (Many!)
My wife would like to mention that you really have to pay attention to Weasel.
Highly recommended!


F9: The Fast Saga

Another entertaining entry in the saga.
Not the best, but it brought back a lot of favorites and a few you thought were long gone.
Charlize Theron returns as Cipher and just as evil as ever.
Still missing Paul Walker, but as always, a special nod to him.
Recommended.


Black Widow

A side adventure with Natasha and a final farewell to the character.
David Harbour is hilarious although it is Florence Pugh as Natasha’s ‘sister’ that steals the show.
Not the best Marvel film, but a lot of fun.
Recommended.


RiffTrax: Hobgoblins

MST3K did this film years ago, so I’d seen it riffed before. However, probably 90% of the jokes were new, which was a lot of fun. After almost two years of nothing, it was a delight to see the guys again. They brought their A game (plenty of time to practice!) and it was hilarious.
Enjoy the screen shots.











Monsters of Man


A very low -budget film, it’s actually quite impressive. The robot-killers are Terminator-like and the special effects really good.
It’s a bit long, but the cast and crew really put forth an effort.
The last third is a bit tedious as the Millennials do what they do best – scream and don’t follow instructions. If this were A Quiet Place, they would all be dead!
Recommended.


Nobody

Starring Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) the movie starts out slow and depressing. This guy’s life really sucks! And then, something happens, and his past life comes out with a vengeance.
From that point, it is bat-crap crazy. Super violent fights. Super-spy type clever set-ups and twists. Odenkirk owns the role and plays it with gusto. Awesome ending!
Highly recommended


What If…?

An animated series exploring the ‘what ifs’ of the Marvel Universe. What if Peggy Carter became Captain America instead? What if T’Challa became Star Lord? The stories grew progressively better as the show went along.
While interesting and sporting many original voices (although not all) my interest waned.
Watch if you are curious.


Brand New Cherry Flavor

Naked Lunch meets Blue Velvet. Bat-crap crazy but not in a great way. Very disturbing, gross, and weird. Well shot and well acted though – high production values. This is a show for a very niche audience looking for something completely different and unsettling.
I can’t recommend it.



New Releases!


BETRAYED : A Renaissance Vampire Romance - Vipunin (Book One)
by Silver Tree/Denise Covey
Vampires have killed Vipunin’s family, now they’re coming for him!
Duke Vipunin de Castellina is his murdered father’s rightful heir.
To claim his inheritance, he rides from Florence to Castellina in Tuscany, where not all welcome him.
Vampires lie in wait in the forest. Vipunin and his army of de’ Medici knights battle for survival.
He calls on every one of his talents – his speed, his sword, his dagger, but is powerless against the vampire queen.
Is everything he gained - his beloved, his inheritance – lost? Lost to a betrayer? Or will revenge be bittersweet?
But to enact revenge he must become the very creature he despises.
Duke Vipunin de Castellina must embrace a wholly new life.
The life of a vampire.
And so the saga of Duke Vipunin de Castellina begins!
Betrayed, first in Denise Covey's series of Renaissance Paranormal Romance, follows the adventures of Duke Vipunin de Castellina. Come with her on a glittering trip through Florence, to Castellina in Tuscany where the action begins and never lets up.

Links: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, and Amazon AU


NIGHT SEASONS: An Occult Thriller of World War Two by Roland Yeomans

THE OCCULT MADNESS OF WORLD WAR II DID NOT DIE
BUT 4 SPIES MAY IF THEY ARE NOT LUCKIER THAN THEY FEEL
Existence has seasons.
The cruel winds of WWII destroyed with the Storm Season. A frigid dawn threatens with the Season of Treachery and its cold war of uneasy allies turned enemies.
Four former O.S.S. agents, one a Seraph Provocateur, are trying to survive the Night Season prior to that dawn.
It is an uncertain struggle:
Across dark waters aboard the ghost ship, SS Ourang Medan, spawned by WWII,
Fighting the gnomes of Zurich desperate to keep the spoils gained from that war,
Striving to keep “their tickets from being punched” aboard an occult train to Vienna filled with vengeful fellow passengers: gypsy witches, vampiric S.S. officers, and greedy human spies.
With pit stops in the past and in an eerie future yet to be.
It is a dark season, but it has its lights:
Friendship, Humor, Courage
But the greatest of these Lights is: Love
In the end, it is not if you survive the journey, but only if you traveled it well.

Find it on Amazon


Think you’d enjoy Small Forgotten Moments? Did you watch any of those films or shows in the past couple months? Picking up Betrayed or Night Seasons?
And who is ready for the next RiffTrax movie on October 26 - Amityville: The Evil Escapes?


53 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - I can totally recommend Annalisa's 'Small Forgotten Moments' - it's a fascinating story line around amnesia ... an interesting read. There are scenes set in London, as too the return to Cornwall ... leaving me with memories. I've seen a few avant-garde movies - stretching my mind. Thanks for your notes on your films and book suggestions - have a good week - Hilary

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Great post, Alex! Glad there have been some good movies to recommend. Annalisa, I did really enjoy "Memento," and will have to check out some of the other films you mentioned...Eternal Sunshine sounds especially appealing.

Elephant's Child said...

Small Forgotten Moments sounds right up my (broad) alley. Thank you both.
And hooray for seeing Denise featured here.

Mason Canyon said...

Interesting list of movies to check out. Huge congratulations to everyone with new releases. Sounds like some intriguing books.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Congrats to Annalisa. I'd have trouble linking my book to movies too. The Suicide Squad sounds good. I'll remember your wife's advice when I watch it, Alex.

Joanne said...

Of course Annalisa's book is a worthy read, and her movie choices are quite interesting and do explain a bit.
Your mini-reviews are fun. But, I gave up on Suicide Squad - just not my thing. Loved F9 (Vin can read the phone book to me in that growl), Black Widow (fun humor), and your humorous quote memes - SO good.
I'll have a Free Guy review this week -now, that was awesome. So clever.
Happy Monday and have a good week

Annalisa Crawford said...

Thank you for featuring me today, Alex. I love the idea of What If...? but I'm steering away from the Marvel universe... it's getting too big for me to keep on top of!

Hilary - you're on track for being my Number One cheerleader, thank you for your lovely words.

Elizabeth - Eternal Sunshine is quite a slow, elegant film, but beautiful and interesting to see Jim Carrey in a much more mellow role.

Elephant's Child - I hope so ;-)

Natalie - thank you. It was quite hard!

Joanne - thank you!

Birgit said...

Love The Others which is very creepy and unnerving. I also,love Memento which I need to see again. All of these seem to deal with the mind and how it can truly affect us..well no kidding. I have not seen the new films but I want to see Black Widow. I love those movie quotes and the first one is so true. I think I will be 96 years old by the time the new Bond film comes out.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Natalie, it will make you laugh.

Joanne, growl the phone book - funny!

Annalisa, you're welcome.

Birgit, I know! It may never come out.

Computer Tutor said...

Congratulations, Annalisa, on your new book. Best of luck with it! Alex--thanks for the movie recs. I'll try Suicide Squad. I'm desperate for something to watch. Am now rewatching the entire Poirot series on YT.

Christine Rains said...

Congrats to Annalisa! That Doctor Who episode with Vincent is one of my favorites. It never fails to stir up a whirlwind of emotion in me. I might have to check out the new Suicide Squad now, Alex! Nobody is on my TBW list, and interesting description for Brand New Cherry Flavor. I did get to see Free Guy and that was fun. For a second there, I read the movie title that is getting riffed next month as Amityville: The Evil Escapes? Like it was a question if the evil escapes! *LOL*

Stacy McKitrick said...

Congratulations to Annalisa. I wish you many sales!!

The last new movie I saw was years ago (Knives Out, I believe). I would like to see Black Widow, though.

Carrie-Anne said...

Congratulations and best of luck to Annalisa!

The RiffTrax send-up of Hobogoblins sounds really fun. I love good snark.

Andrew Leon said...

Suicide Squad didn't do it for me. It's just a pale reflection of Guardians. All the same themes and beats with lesser, and less interesting, characters.

Widow was fun, but I'm kind of annoyed that it's really only there to introduce the new Black Widow. Or whatever she'll end up calling herself.

Fundy Blue said...

You watch a lot of scary looking movies, Alex! I'll have to see if I can find "The Suicide Squad" on my cable system. "Small Forgotten Moments" sounds intriguing. My father suffered from amnesia when he was a teenager. I hope you have a great week, Alex!

Cathrina Constantine said...

I am looking forward to some good movies this season. Fingers Crossed that covid doesn't get in the way again.

Congrats to all the new releases!

Have a great week, Alex.

J E Oneil said...

The Suicide Squad definitely looks better than the last one. Doesn't seem like there are any lingering shots on female characters as they take off their clothes, so that's a plus.

Really not thinking what Millennials do best is scream and not follow instructions. Pretty sure we're much better at the latter than other generations.

Susan Kane said...

Lots of movies to enjoy! We missed The Fast Saga, and The Suicide Squad, so we have that to enjoy.

Liz A. said...

I did see Suicide Squad. Meh. I got a bunch of octopus tentacles crocheted. A bit too violent for me. Haven't seen the others, though.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Congratulations, Annalisa!!!
Alex - love your reviews!

Nilanjana Bose said...

Congrats to Denise!! So neat to see her book here!

Cornwall is a favourite spot and setting, Annalisa's book sounds wonderful, best to her too.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Christine, funny!

Stacy, you should get out more.

Patricia, me neither.

Liz, it was rated R and they went for it.

Toi Thomas said...

Small Forgotten Moments sounds like a deep book.
Suicide Squad was really good and I also liked Black Widow.
Love the Forrest Gump and Cthulhu screenshots.
I like What if...? I like that it's so different.
Betrayed is on my TBR list.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I truly loved NOBODY. My dream is to be married to Connie Neilson! :-) My heart rooted for Ratcatcher 2. Like Toi, I have enjoyed every episode of WHAT IF. Thank you for mentioning NIGHT SEASONS. Now, I have to batten down the hatches as Hurricane Nicholas heads my way.

nashvillecats2 said...

As always Alex it's a pleasure to come to your blog looking at the news and reviews and films many of us are missing.
Enjoyed the read albeit a day late this week.

Yvonne.

Cherie Colyer said...

It's always fun to see your movie updates. I thought F9 was entertaining as well. I've seen them all, so I couldn't miss it. I still have to watch Black Widow and Suicide Squad.

Congrats to Annalisa Crawford. Love the cover of Small Forgotten Moments. And to Silver Tree, Denise Covey, and Roland Yeomans.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Birgit - I hid behind my cushion the first time I watched The Others!

Nilanjana - Cornwall is such a beautiful place, I never take living here for granted.

Thank you, everyone, for your kind wishes x

Sandra Cox said...

All kinds of book and movie news.
Wishing all the wonderful authors with new releases much success.
YOU have a great day.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'd love to listen in on that class Cthulhu Taught - LOL!

Mary Kirkland said...

I watched The Suicide Squad and really liked it.

Truedessa said...

Congrats to those with releases! Scary movies are not for me. Have a great week!

Denise Covey said...

Hello Alex. Thanks for the shout outs to the hard-working authors amongst us. Thanks to those words of encouragement to me. And Annalisa and Roland.

balanced a.f. said...

I've seen and thoroughly enjoyed several of these movies, but I'd really like to try to find "Nobody" with Bob Odenkirk. Small Forgotten Moments sounds like one I'll have to pick up!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Roland, you're welcome.

J.L. Murphey said...

I dunno, I still have flashbacks to the first Amityville Horror book and movie (as if reading the book wasn't scary enough). I should pass on "The Evil Escapes," but probably won't when it comes on cable.

Jemi Fraser said...

Our COVID #s are creeping up - it'll be a long while before I venture into a movie theatre but I'll definitely see a few of these once they're on demand.
Congrats on all the new releases!

Deniz Bevan said...

I;ll watch anything with Bill Nighy in it :p

mail4rosey said...

Nice to see the Mrs.! We saw Suicide Squad. My teen was riveted to the screen, and I looked away a good portion of the time because I'm a chicken like that... lolol. He loved it. I think I liked the first one better, though those shadowy figures they were battling disturbed me (see I'm a wimp). :)

Glad Theron is on the team still. I think she was a good edition to the Fast & Furious.

I still want to see Black Widow...

Sandra Cox said...

It's great to see SMALL FORGOTTEN MOMENTS featured.
Have a great one.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Congrats to Annalisa! I read this book in the beta form and it was an awesome read.

Malignant (the new version, there are several) on HBO was a horror film with fresh take. There were a few places that made me scream and a few that made me think why the heck would you ever... but all in all, a pretty good horror.

Blue Grumpster said...

Thanks, Alex. Will check out F9. It was still on my list.

SpacerGuy said...

Saul is the Nobody you just dont want to mess with which is what makes this movie interesting. I wish I had him around in real life let me tell you, I'd point him in a few directions lol. Well done Annalisa!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Congratulations to Denise and Roland! Great recommendations from Annalisa (and congratulations to her, as well). Of the movies you listed, I really liked Nobody. The Suicide Squad was much better than the first, and felt like it really embraced its sense of humor this time. Black Widow was surprisingly good, and I definitely agree with the standout being Florence Pugh. I'd watch a movie with her and her character as the star. I did like Brand New Cherry Flavor okay. It didn't start out my favorite, but it grew on me.

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

I still need to check out Black Widow and Monsters of Man sounds like it could be interesting.

Donna K. Weaver said...

We haven't watched Black Widow yet, but I expect we will soon.

J.Q. Rose said...

What a life you live, Alex. Immersed in movies. Love your original reviews. I hope you like popcorn and red licorice, my faves for watching movies. Congrats to Annalisa! Memento sounds like a story I could get into.

Jennifer Lane said...

Fun post by Annalisa!

Congrats to Denise and Roland on their new releases.

Jennifer Lane said...

Testing to see if I can leave a comment.

mshatch said...

Thanks for all the movie recommendations :)

Sandra Cox said...

I'd like to see Black Widow. I like her character:)
YOU have a great reading/writing day:)

talklady said...

Ah, a lengthy list of in-theater movies! One of the last vestiges of lockdown has released its shackles!
No Time to Die is at the top of the list because, well because we've waited so long and it's Bond!

Thanks for all you bring to this group, including Star Trek drink trivia (don't smite me for the word choice: trivia)...

J.H. Moncrieff said...

Looks like some great new releases, except for Brand New Cherry Flavor. That one doesn't sound like it would be for me, either.

DMS said...

Small Forgotten Moments has my interest. I found the movie Memento fascinating. I saw it in the theaters twice (way back when).

~Jess