Movie Reviews and Ninja News

Thanks for commenting on my guest post on blogging tips and CassaFire news at Susan Roebuck’s site last Friday, and for making Brinda Berry feel so welcome here.

Some really important announcements today but first the reviews:

Underworld: Evolution

A reviewer on JoBlo’s site said it best – if you’re a fan of the first three, you’ll dig it. (Which means if you hate the series, I doubt this movie will change your mind.) It’s not a great movie, but I was entertained for the duration.

This movie was on a smaller scale and probably with a smaller budget – but you couldn’t tell from the special effects. It also had a storyline that was touching and intricate involving Selene’s daughter. It had kick-butt action, with fights, chase scenes, and explosions (including exploding lycans.) And of course – it had Kate Beckinsale, looking as stunning as ever! My quest this year is to find Selene’s outfit and convince my wife to wear it around the house. (Wish me luck.)

Attack the Block

This British alien invasion movie was also done on a small scale with a virtually unknown cast. The movie opens with a teen gang in South London robbing one of their neighbors. (Over the course of the film, they manage to redeem themselves.) The gang kills a strange looking creature and soon find themselves defending their block against vicious aliens.
This movie was a load of fun! It’s a fun monster movie in the same vein as Tremors with even more action and humor. The actors are great – their banter hilarious - and the aliens effective. It’s colorful in language but not excessively gory.
If you’re looking for something fresh and new, rent this movie for action and laughs!

Now on to the news…

Sign ups for the A to Z Challenge open in one week! Don’t forget the video challenge/contest.

Mark at Aloha, and Hi! from Hawaii is co-writing a memoir about a singer who lost and then regained his voice. He is hosting a giveaway for singer Donald Braswell which includes several CDs.

Melissa Sugar is hosting the Get Fired Up Blogfest and encouraging others to mentor and help a struggling blogger. One of the prizes is a Kindle Fire! Read about it HERE and HERE.



If you’re getting ready to set up a book tour, Spunk on a Stick’s Tips has some great tips.

If you’re looking for some awesome writing tips, Mooderino at Moody Writing always posts the best.

Jessica Bell’s book, Twisted Velvet Chains, is now just ninety-nine cents at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Big thanks to Helen Ginger at Straight From Hel for her review of CassaStar this weekend. Another science fiction convert!

Patricia (author pm terrell) gave me the All Around Wonderful Blog Award. Thank you, Patricia!
I am passing it along to:
LisaAnn at Kicked, Cornered, Bitten, and Chased
Patsy Collins
Marta Szemik

And finally, voting opened Saturday evening at You Gotta Read Videos for the best book trailer submitted the month of January. CassaFire is number ten and yes, I will grovel for votes. CassaStar came in second last year, and since prizes this year include free advertising on their websites, I’d really like CassaFire’s trailer to be in the top three. Go vote HERE

And if you haven’t seen the trailer for CassaFire, created by my awesome publisher, Dancing Lemur Press:



Seen either of those movies? Entered any of the blogfests? Planned your A to Z Challenge posts? Vote for my trailer? I will grovel… 

Movie Review - How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon - without a doubt the best movie I have seen this year!

First I have to say that Dreamworks outdid themselves with the animation. Every object had such incredible texture, and you could even see the hairs on the arms of the Vikings. The flying sequences were breathtaking but not nauseating, and the scenery vivid and detailed.

Not that I've praised the animation, let me get to the story. The movie opens with a dragon raid on a Viking village. The whole village aspires to be dragon killers, believing every dragon should be killed on sight. And then one day the village leader's son befriends the most dangerous dragon of all...

Despite the angle taken by the trailers, this is not a silly film. It's more of an adventure than a comedy, and a little somber in parts. How to Train Your Dragon is a coming of age film - a young man's quest to find his place in life.

The dragons (and there many breeds) each possess their own personality. While the dragons are fierce, they are more like dogs than anything else. Wild dogs I might add - it takes the young hero, Hiccup, quite a while to earn the dragon's trust.

The feel of this movie will resonate with you for a very long time. I highly recommend you catch this film in 3D - especially before this Friday's release of Clash of the Titans forces it out of the 3D theaters...

Alice in Wonderland review & actor updates

Finally caught Alice in Wonderland this weekend. I wanted to catch it while it was still offered in 3D.

Now, if you've never liked the storyline of Alice in Wonderland, nothing about this movie will change your mind. It's very familiar and offers nothing really fresh or new. I've never cared for the tale and after seeing this movie, I still don't. Lewis Caroll was on some serious drugs when he created this world.

Tim Burton's visual style is amazing. Alice in Wonderland is a beautiful looking film, full of atmosphere and lushness. The Jabberwocky is realistic and the battle scene well done.

Mia Wasikowska does a fine job as Alice, and she is the real star of the film. Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter is a supporting character at best, and I was not impressed with his take on the role. He really wasn't that mad. The other characters did a great job and I especially liked the Cheshire Cat, voiced by Stephen Fry.

The 3D was cool, however... I think I am getting used to the effects now, so the 3D needs to be something spectacular. Now that Avatar has broken new ground with complete and total immersion rather than the sense of things simply 'being in 3D.' I'm looking for more of the same.

The movie had some fun moments, some dark moments, and was a visual feast - if you enjoy that sort of thing, you'll enjoy this trip into Wonderland.

Now, what really caught my eye was the number of interesting actors in this movie...

Michael Sheen was the White Rabbit, and he will be in the upcoming Tron: Legacy. He's also rumored to be in Underworld 4. (Fingers crossed.)

Alan Rickman was Abosolom and will of course return as Snape in the next Harry Potter movie.

Red Queen Helena Bonham Carter will also return in the next Harry Potter movie.

Crazy Crispin Glover's next project is Hot Tub Time Machine.

And Johnny Depp is of course making another Pirates of the Caribbean movie. (As long as they make money, Disney will keep pumping them out.) He's also rumored to be in Sin City 3.

And there you have it! Anyone know of other upcoming fantasy/sci-fi movies for these actors and actresses?