Reviews – Picard, Togo, The Aeronauts; Top Movies of the Decade, War Movie Trivia Answers, New Releases, and Ninja News

Last Friday, I was a guest on Scott Coon’s site for the Little Create Interview – five simple questions, five interesting answers. Check it out!

I also posted at the IWSG site - Ten Tips for Handling Bad Book Reviews.

Movie and Show Reviews

Picard

This show debuted on January 23, picking up with Jean Luc Picard twenty years after the last Next Gen movie, Nemesis.
It was a great first episode, snagging you from the opening scene. And it doesn’t let go. It’s very nostalgic without pandering. They don’t force-feed – it comes through sweet and natural.
The special effects, sets, everything – top-notch and movie quality.
And as much as I hate CBS for making me pay for this, they have my money for the duration of this show…
Highly recommended!

The Aeronauts

Inspired by a true event, this film depicts the first gas balloon to go beyond 23,000 feet in 1862.
Felicity Jones is daredevil balloon pilot Amelia Wren and Eddie Redmayne is scientist and meteorologist James Glaisher. Both are battling demons – she lost her husband in a balloon accident and he is fighting to prove the weather can be predicted.
The cinematography is amazing. The view from the balloon, the sight of the balloon in the clouds – all impressive.
The leads do great in their roles. The story begins with the balloon launch and then is told in flashbacks to show you where the characters came from and why this flight is so important to both. There are plenty of scary moments, as well as some painful ones when they hit ice. (Always bring the moleskin!)
While not historically accurate, it’s still a fun adventure tale and a look at a world we no longer know. Created by Amazon Studios, they’ve proven they can produce a big theater film.
Recommended

Togo

The true story of the real sled dog hero in the 1925 Nome, Alaska diphtheria serum run. Willem Dafoe plays musher Leonhard Seppala as he and his team, led by the aging Togo, race to get the serum during a storm.
Those of you who’ve seen the animated film Balto only know part of the story. Also one of Seppala’s dogs, he was the lead dog of the team that reached Nome with the serum – and therefore got the glory. However, that team was one of nineteen who ran for approximately thirty-one miles each. Seppala and Togo covered over two hundred and sixty miles!
It’s told in flashbacks, going from Seppala and Togo’s run through the storm to the beginning when man and pup met – and it was not love at first sight! Togo was a runt and Seppala wrote him off, but Togo proved to be smart, fast, and one amazing escape artist, and eventually he won over Seppala and became his lead dog.
There are plenty of tense moments, such as when they cross the frozen sound. The settings are beautiful and closeup special effects really good. (Just ignore the obvious matte paintings in the background of the sweeping shots.)
At its core, Togo is about the close relationship between man and dog and what happens if they push each other too far.
If you’re a fan of adventure, animal, or survival stories, you’ll really enjoy Togo.
Highly recommended

Ninja News

#IWSGPit went fantastic! There were more Tweets than ever before.
Thanks to everyone who participated or spread the word.
Any success stories from #IWSGPit, please pass them along. We want to feature you in the newsletter!

Spurred by a post by Anne R. Allen, I finally started being more active on Book Bub. My profile was set, but not every book had all the links, I wasn’t following many other authors, and I hadn’t reviewed any books. I am rectifying that now! If you have a Book Bub presence, please follow me – and I will follow back. And I am going to spend time every week reviewing new books.

The authors featured in the five IWSG anthology books have a website they run - IWSG Anthologies. With Voyagers: The Third Ghost coming out soon, you can visit the site each week to learn more about the authors and read a snippet of each story.

New release-
Moving Through Disclosure: The Handbook I Wanted During My Husband’s Pornography Addiction Disclosure by Elsie Amata
Find it on Amazon

And to give you a little chuckle…
I was watching a RiffTrax movie.
Man and woman watching the news on television.
The man gets up and says ‘No time for news now.’
One of the RiffTrax guys responds – ‘CNN’s new slogan!’
Yeah, almost too sad and true to be funny…

Top Ten Movies of the Decade

Here are the top ten, best-reviewed, and of course my personal favorite movies of the past decade, in no particular order. (Without commentary – sorry, I was running out of room in this post!)

The Avengers

Rogue One
Mad Max: Fury Road
Inception
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Hobbit trilogy
Super 8
Wonder Woman
Fast Five
Guardians of the Galaxy

And special mention to Aquaman and Star Trek: Into Darkness

Movie Trivia Answers

War movies – name the movie from the three actors and the year.

Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Barry Keoghan, 2017 Dunkirk
Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, 2009 Inglorious Basterds
Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, 1997 Starship Troopers
Jeremy Irvine, Davile Thewlis, Tom Hiddleston, 2011 War Horse
Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, 1979 Apocalypse Now
Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, 2014 Edge of Tomorrow
Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, 1986 Platton
Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, 2001 Black Hawk Down
Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, 1967 The Dirty Dozen
Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, 2016 Hacksaw Ridge
Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, 1964 Dr. Strangelove

Did you watch Picard? Seen Togo or The Aeronauts? Participate in #IWSGPit? On Book Bub? Did you get any of the trivia right? And what are some of your favorite movies from the past decade?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Upcoming November Movie Releases, WEP, Holiday Book Sale, and New Book Releases

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.

The awesome co-hosts today are Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor JQ Rose Ann V. Friend and Elizabeth Seckman!


November 7 question - How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

It’s stretched what I write about. I’ve written non-fiction, contemporary, even poetry! (My WEP entry last month.) I was already playing guitar but I was prodded to go further and now play in a Christian rock band. So my creativity continues to grow.

Are you following the IWSG on Instagram?
Here are the prompts for November:

The #IWSGPit Twitter pitch is once a year now – and the next one is in January! Don’t miss it.

And big thanks to everyone who entered the annual IWSG Anthology Contest! Winners will be announced January 2.

WEP

The IWSG partnered with Write…Edit…Publish and we are hosting a contest for the February theme!

Rules: Submit your idea for a WEP February theme by November 12 to admin AT insecurewriterssupportgroup.com. Nothing so U.S. culturally bound. Should have wide appeal.

Prize: Feature in the December newsletter for the winner. And, of course, the winning theme will be the official February WEP theme!

Deadline: November 12. Winner announced in the November newsletter on November 28.

Plus December's WEP theme is...

Holiday Book Sale

My publisher Dancing Lemur Press, is running a holiday sale. Here are the details:

Buy the print book, get the eBook or audio book (if available) for free!
Buy the print book directly from Dancing Lemur Press and get free swag and a free book!
Buy an audio book and get another audio book for free!
Buy an eBook and get another eBook for free!
See Dancing Lemur Press for a list of available titles.
To redeem and conditions:
Purchase a print, audio, or eBook from any retailer and send a copy of your receipt, less payment information and shipping, to inquiries AT dancinglemurpressllc.com
Books purchased directly from our site will automatically get swag and a free book shipped.
Free eBook cannot be over $2.99.
CassaSeries audio book excluded in the free giveaway.
Offer good until December 15, 2018. Delivery of print books not guaranteed by Christmas after December 10, 2018.

New Releases

Steps Along Our Shore by Elsie Amata
If you love someone who’s struggling with pornography addiction and/or other unwanted sexual behaviors and you’re having difficulties communicating with each other, my heart goes out to you. I want you to know that better communication and a healthier relationship is possible. So is a healthier you.
Find it on Amazon

Spirit Visions Soul Songs by Mary-Montague Sikes
Spirit Visions Soul Songs features paintings and writings to inspire meditation and focus. Mary Montague Sikes believes that readers will find meaning for themselves in both the images and the words she has created intuitively.
Find it on Amazon

Tangier Bank Heist by Sean McLachlan
Right after the war, Tangier was the craziest town in North Africa. Everything was for sale and the price was cheap. The perverts came for the flesh. The addicts came for the drugs. A whole army of hustlers and grifters came for the loose laws and free flow of cash and contraband.
Find it on Amazon

Soul Wanderer by Juliana Haygert
The Fire Heart Chronicles #4
“I’m losing my mind, and it’s because of my magic. It won’t be long before I become like her— before I become a monster.”
Find it on Amazon

November Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for November! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

9 –

Overlord
The story of two American soldiers behind enemy lines on D Day.
Director: Julius Avery
Stars: Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbæk, John Magaro
Should satisfy my need for blood, boobs, and carnage for a month or so. Looks wicked.

The Grinch
A grumpy Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.
Directors: Yarrow Cheney | Scott Mosier
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Angela Lansbury, Kenan Thompson
Cell drawn Grinch, live action Grinch, and now 3D animation Grinch. All we need is a claymation Grinch and I’ll be happy.






16 –

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
The second installment of the "Fantastic Beasts" series set in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World featuring the adventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander.
Director: David Yates
Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol
First one should’ve been called fantastic plots and how to write one…






23 –

Ralph Breaks the Internet
Six years after the events of "Wreck-It Ralph", Ralph and Vanellope, now friends, discover a wi-fi router in their arcade, leading them into a new adventure.
Directors: Phil Johnston | Rich Moore
Stars: Gal Gadot, Kristen Bell, Mandy Moore, Sarah Silverman
I heard the last fifteen minutes is a dramatic showdown between Ralph and Al Gore.

Creed II
Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, newly crowned light heavyweight champion Adonis Creed faces off against Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago.
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Stars: Tessa Thompson, Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Dolph Lundgren
Creed steps into the ring with Black Panther to discover the true King of Wakanda.

How has your creativity grown? Want to suggest a theme for WEP? Taking advantage of the holiday sale on books? And what movie catches your attention this month?

I am taking most of November off to write! Not officially NaNo, but I’d like to knock out a good chunk of my current work. My USA friends, have a great Thanksgiving. See you December 5 with the next IWSG post plus tons of movies and a concert review!

And I just realized - it's now been nine years since I began blogging.

James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction, You Rock Awards, Movie News, Trivia Answers, and New Releases

James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction

Mondays on AMC.
This six-episode series is extremely fascinating!
Each show covers a specific area – aliens, space, monsters, dark futures, intelligent machines, and time travel.
James Cameron sit down with some other big names in the business and discusses each one as to how it has impacted science fiction movies today. Interspersed is commentary from dozens of other people, from major actors (Sigourney Weaver, Will Smith, etc.) to musicians, directors, artists, and others who played a part in the movies being discussed.
They discuss Cameron’s films of course, but also focus on the movies from the main guests. In the first episode, he discussed Close Encounters with Steven Spielberg, including its influences, behind the scenes tidbits, and its nods to earlier films and books.
I’m looking forward to episode three which features Guillermo del Toro (monsters) and episode four which features Christopher Nolan (dark futures).
If you are a science fiction geek, you must check it out!

Geek Movie News

No official reviews are allowed yet of Deadpool 2, but JoBlo posted a slew of Tweets from those who saw an early preview last week.

My Favorite:

Want to see Incredibles 2 two days before its release? Want to see it in IMAX? And as a double feature with the first movie?

Go to IMAX movies to see if it’s play in a theater near you on June 13!

The rumors are true!
From JoBlo:
After almost 30 years of waiting, it's time to throw up your horns and bust out your aggressive air guitar, because Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are set to reprise their roles as Theodore "Ted" Logan and "Bill" S. Preston Esq. for the much-anticipated sequel BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC! News of a third film in the franchise moving into production emerged from the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, along with the announcement that Dean Parisot (RED 2, FUN WITH DICK AND JANE, GALAXY QUEST) would direct from a script penned by the original creators of the series, Chris Matheson(IMAGINE THAT) and Ed Solomon (MEN IN BLACK).

Grunge posted a list of movie trilogies that will never be completed.
On this list is Hellboy and Tron, plus a few that will surprise you. And a couple you’ll be grateful they quit when they did.

And do note - Black Panther comes out May 15, Tuesday!

New releases:

Both from IWSG Admins!

One out now -
The Raindrop that Wanted to Stop by Pat Hatt
Release number 120 I believe?
Pick it up on Amazon

And one on May 15 -
Some Very Messy Medieval Magic by C. Lee McKenzie

Pete’s stuck in medieval England!

Find it at Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Amazon, and Foyles

You Rock Award

Every year, I give out the You Rock award. This is for special people who have made an impact on me.
Except for last year. For whatever reason, I failed to do the awards. Maybe because I always give them out right after the A to Z Challenge, and last year I didn’t participate.
Which means I have some making up to do!
First, I’d like to honor these fellow and former bloggers who received it in the past: Arlee, Yvonne, RaShelle, Hannah, Jeffrey, Gail, Rusty, Chuck, George, Jeremy, Matthew, Old Kitty, Ella, M Pax, Roland, Melissa, Robyn, Lynda, Michael, Heather, Stephen, Father Dragon Al, the late Tina, Damyanti, Edi, Karen, Elizabeth, Suze, Susan, Pat, Jo, Michelle, Brandon and Bryan, Christine, Truedessa, Rachna Chhabria, Fundy Blue, Hank Kaykuala, JH Moncrieff, Nilanjana Bos, Liza, and Yolanda Renee.

Despite missing last year, I’m going to keep it short and simple, despite the fact I had over a dozen people on the list.

Spacer Guy
A fellow Star Trek fanatic, Spacer Guy has been with me for years. He knows so much about Trek, which allows me to geek out right along with him. But he’s also been so supportive and always willing to help a buddy out. I feel privileged to know his real name! Spacer Guy, you rock!

Elsie Amata
Do not let the title of her blog deter you! Doesn’t matter if you’ve never dealt with sex addiction. Elsie is about being real. She’s about baring your soul. You will come away changed. And she has a really great sense of humor. Elsie, I really admire you. You rock!

L. Diane Wolfe
This one has been a long time coming, but I’ve held off for professional reasons. (She’s the senior editor and owner of my publisher’s company.) But had it not been for that yes and her faith in my first book, I never would’ve embarked on this journey. Plus she knows so much about book marketing, which she shares often on her blog. Diane, a million thanks, and you rock!

Natalie Aguirre
Many years ago, a blogging friend asked me about helping her find other writers and growing her blog. Now Natalie’s Literary Rambles has twice the followers I do, and I couldn’t be happier for her! She focuses on middle grade/young adult authors and agents, but she was ever so gracious to let me visit her blog when CassaStorm was released. Natalie, I’ve watched so much happen in your life as if I was right there with you. In spirit, I was. You rock!

Sandra Cox
It’s been so long, I’m not sure how I met Sandra. Probably during a Challenge. She keeps it light and upbeat and very real. We’ve never met although I think we only live a few hours apart, but I know we’d get along just great if we did. Her themed posts will make you smile. And she always checks back with you. Sandra, you rock!

C. Lee McKenzie 
Lee’s been a long time author friend and joined the IWSG Admin team last year, handling publicity relations. Watching her in action behind the scenes – Lee is ambitious and not afraid to try! She’s so professional and together and I really admire that. Lee, I appreciate you as a friend, a fellow author, and a damned good IWSG admin! You rock.

Trivia Answers

Name the television series from the author and lead actor:
1 – Author Laura Ingalls Wilder, starring Michael Landon – Little House on the Prairie
2 – Author Craig Johnson, starring Robert Taylor - Longmire
3 - Authors Richard Hooker & W. C. Heinz and starring Alan Alda - M*A*S*H
4 – Author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and starring Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock
5 - Author Stephen King, starring Mike Vogel – Under the Dome
6 - Author James S. A. Corey and starring Thomas Jane – The Expanse

Have you seen James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction? Ready for Incredibles 2 or another Bill and Ted movie? Picking up Pat or Lee’s new book? Get any of the trivia correct? And are you following those rocking bloggers?

I will be offline on Friday. I’m taking a personal day, sleeping in, then spending the day with my wife which will include seeing Deadpool 2. It will feel so wrong and yet I will laugh so hard…

MST3K Reunion Show, Robot Movie Trivia, Top Grossing Films Ever, 2016 Music Roundup, and Ninja News

I had the honor of a guest post at Anne R. Allen’s Blog on Sunday, June 12!
She and Ruth Harris maintain a top notch site for writers – one of Writers Digest’s Top 101 Sites for Writers. If you’re a writer, you need to check it out.

MST3K Reunion Show

We are just two weeks away from the MST3K Reunion show!

Why is this such a big deal? Outside of a Con appearance or two, these guys have not been seen together for fifteen-twenty years.

The originator of the show, Joel Hodgeson, is in the middle of relaunching the series with new actors. He hopes to draw from the most popular MST3K episodes, which include a mix of Joel and Mike as hosts. The new host, Jonah Ray, will also be part of the reunion tour.

Writers since the first season or two and the ones to continue and complete the series - Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett, Mary Jo Pehl, and Bridget Jones Nelson – have continued with the famous RiffTrax riffs, movies, and live shows.

Trace Beaulieu, and Frank Conniff, who played Dr. Clayton Forrester and the first Crow T. Robot and TV’s Frank respectively, have worked on other projects after the show.

Noticeably absent is Jim Mallon, producer and the one who played Gypsy.

But spanning the years, this is the core cast. No fringe members. (Such as Josh Weinstein who did a poor turn as Tom Servo in season one.) These are the ones who matter.

And for two hours, they will be trading off and on as they riff a selection of really bad shorts for millions across America. Pure MST3K joy!

Tuesday, June 28 at 8:00 pm – don’t miss it! Get your tickets HERE - many theaters have already sold out.

The Semi-Annual Music Roundup

It's time for my Semi-Annual Music Roundup! (That I just started.) 2016 has been a great one for music, with enough rocking variety to blow your pants off. So without further ado...

Baroness – Purple: Already reviewed but still in heavy rotation. Early contender for album of the year?

Megadeth – Dystopia: Just when I think that Megadeth is swirling the drain, Dave Mustaine pulls out an amazing heavy record. Best stuff in over ten years.

Serenity - Codex Atlanticus: This really didn't click the first couple listens, but I really dig it now. It's a symphonic rock concept album about Leonardo Da Vinci. Cheesy....you bet, but also very catchy.

Dream Theater - The Astonishing: It is...astonishing. (Reviewed this one previously.)

Omnium Gatherum - Grey Heavens: While not as great as their last effort, the song Skyline is Scandinavian metal at its finest.

Redemption - The Art of Loss: Criminally underrated. This is such a great release. If you are a fan of heavy prog rock, give it a listen.

Amon Amarth – Jomsviking: Got to hand it to these guys, every album is about Viking mythology and culture. You'd think it would grow boring and stale, but this album rocks. Great music for working out. (Or looting and pillaging.)

Kvelertak – Nattesferd: These guys are all over the map musically and I dig it. Not as good as the debut but a step up from their sophomore release.

Ninja News

Today’s Themes That Rocked the Challenge feature at the A to Z Blog is J.A. Scott and his rocking theme of childhood television shows and commercials!

The WEP August Challenge is Gardens.
Post prose, poetry, images… up to a thousand words.
See the site for more details.

Steps Along My Shore by Elsie Amata
Elsie Amata shares her personal account of how she healed from the Relational Trauma caused by discovering her husband’s sex addiction.
Find it at Amazon
And through June 15, it’s free!

You. I. Us. by Annalisa Crawford
Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Book Depository

Movie Trivia

Robot movies! Guess the movie from the robot’s name.

1 – V.I.N.C.E.N.T. and B.O.B., 1978
2 – Evil Robot Us-es and Good Robot Us-es, 1991
3 – Bishop, 1986
4 – Hector, 1980
5 – Gunslinger, 1973
6 – Dot Matrix, 1987
7 – Bubo, 1981
8 – Huey, Dewey, and Louie, 1972

Answers next week!

The Billion Dollar Money Makers – Are They Worthy?

Box Office Mojo now lists twenty-six movies that have crossed the billion dollar mark. Avatar is number one at approximately 2.8 billion and The Dark Knight is number twenty-six at one billion. Jurassic Park is the oldest film in the bunch – 1993, while Titanic was the first to cross one billion.

One thing that is interesting is the domestic to foreign dollar ratio. Most of the billion dollar movies are one third domestic (USA) and two thirds foreign. (Notable exceptions are the two Dark Knight movies and the two Star Wars films on the list.) In order to have a shot at a billion dollars, a film has to do well in foreign markets. Some do really well, making only a quarter of their profit in the USA.

But when you look at the list, you have to wonder how some of those films managed to do so well. Inflation means newer movies are more likely to cross the mark, and a strong foreign market can offset a low domestic take.

The results – films such as Transformers: Age of Extinction cross a billion dollars. (Which has the highest foreign percentage at 77.8%.) In fact, there are two Transformers movies on the list. In contrast, there is only one Harry Potter and one LOTR movie over a billion dollars. What!?

I don’t want to debate which movies deserve to be a billion dollar films based on personal opinion. (Because for one, I thought Alice in Wonderland was awful. It doesn’t surprise me its sequel is tanking.) But based on quality, appeal, and popularity, what films really should be in the billion dollar club?

Here are the films, from top to bottom:
Avatar, Titanic, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, Marvel's The Avengers, Furious 7, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Frozen, Iron Man 3, Minions, Captain America: Civil War, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Skyfall, Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Dark Knight Rises, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Toy Story 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Jurassic Park, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Alice in Wonderland (2010), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Zootopia, The Dark Knight

What do you think? Even if the quality was mediocre, was the subject matter appealing enough anyway? Are those all billion dollar films?

Going to the MST3K Reunion show? What are your favorite albums of the year so far? Posting for WEP in August? Know any of the robot movies? And what films should and shouldn’t be in the billion dollar club?

Don’t forget to visit Anne R. Allen!