Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Ghostbusters: Afterlife Review, and December Movie Preview


It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts for the December 1 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Diane Burton, Louise – Fundy Blue, Natalie Aguirre, and Jacqui Murray!

December 1 question – In your writing, what stresses you the most? What delights you?

Stresses me? Definitely the first draft. I find it excruciating to get my thoughts onto paper.

What delights me is the editing. Now that I’ve thrown a story up onto the page, I have something to work with. I can finally really see it and be able to shape it the way I want. And as I was reminded by another's answer, someone enjoying my work is a treat!

What stresses and delights you?

I’d also like to take this time to thank my fellow IWSG Admins – L. Diane Wolfe, Michelle Wallace, C. Lee McKenzie, Pat Hatt, and Juneta Key. We also say goodbye to Tyrean Martinson this month as Juneta takes over Instagram. Thanks for every sacrifice and effort you’ve made to make the IWSG what it is today.


January is when we announce the winners of the IWSG 2021 Anthology Contest! So, tune in.


And our next #IWSGPit Twitter pitch event is January 26!
We’ve been a trending topic the past few years with hundreds and hundreds of publishers and agents tuning into the feed. It’s a great opportunity to pitch a completed manuscript and there have been a ton of success stories. Get those manuscripts and pitches polished and join us that day.
See the IWSG site for details.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Review


This picks up many years after the first film with Egon Spengler’s death bringing his estranged daughter and her two kids to his weird house in a small Oklahoma town. If you are longing for nostalgia, this is your film.
It hits all the Ghostbuster notes without them feeling nothing but recycled. Some are similar but most take a fresh spin on the original.
It’s also heartwarming. It’s a warm, fuzzy, feel-good movie. The family dynamics were good rather than fractured. The small town wasn’t mean to the newcomers. The film didn’t fall into any of those traps.
And did I mention funny? Because there are some really good laugh out loud moments.
Mckenna Grace shines as the granddaughter and star of the film. She brings authenticity to the role of a geeky young lady.
And of course, there are the guest stars – Billy Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver. And if you get to the end of the movie and see Weaver’s name and wonder where you saw her, give it five seconds – there is a sneak ending after that!
The film was everything I’d hoped for and I highly recommend it!

December Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for December. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. Snark provided by me.


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Spider-Man: No Way Home
For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei
If it does feature all three – Holland, Garfield, and Maguire – won’t that break the time-space continuum?


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The Matrix Resurrections
Plagued by strange memories, Neo's life takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself back inside the Matrix.
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Christina Ricci, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
I think resurrections refers to what they hope to do with this franchise…


The King’s Man

In the early years of the 20th century, the Kingsman agency is formed to stand against a cabal plotting a war to wipe out millions.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Harris Dickinson, Gemma Arterton, Djimon Hounsou
I don’t think I could handle two straight hours of ‘Louie, Louie’…




What stresses and delights you? Ready for #IWSGPit? Did you see Ghostbusters: Afterlife? Seeing any films this December?
After this week, I am signing off until January 5 and the next IWSG post day – and the announcement of the IWSG Anthology Contest winners!
Have a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!