Remakes Blogfest, Murder on the Orient Express Review, Justice League, and New Releases

Movie Review

Murder on the Orient Express

Based on the novel by Agatha Cristie, Inspector Hercule Poirot must solve a murder on a luxury train.
The cast is outstanding. Kenneth Branagh stars and directs, handling both roles with ease. Also on board are Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Daisy Ridley, and many more. Everyone looks like they enjoyed slipping into their roles.
The cinematography is amazing. The train zipping through the snowy mountains – wow. Plus it boasted some quirky camera angles. The use of camera in a confined location such as a train are really interesting.
The story was a clever twist of clues and unique characters, plus there was some quirky fun humor and lines.
This film would’ve been a great entry for the blogfest today, but sadly I’ve not seen the original nor read the book, so I can’t make a comparison. It did keep me guessing until the end and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Recommended.

Justice League

Comes out this week! And for once, I’m not waiting until Friday – I will be seeing it Thursday evening. Until then, enjoy the latest trailer.  *11-16 - And it was awesome! Loved the movie.

New Releases

Shades of Love boxed set
Featuring The Blind Spot by J.L. Campbell
Find it on Amazon

Available November 14:
Wrong Side of the Rift by Libby Heily 
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes


Plus today at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, our IWSG Show Your Writer Insecurity Contest winner, Ken Rahmoeller, talks about how to deal with writer insecurity.

Remakes Blogfest!

Hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh and Heather M. Gardner.

Remakes – most of them suck. Now and then, one comes along that is as good as, if not better, than the original. And after all of the bad ones we’ve endured, we want to know about some good ones.

Today, November 13, 2017, blog about your favorite remake: movie (or television show into movie and vice versa), song, or book – or all three! Post a YouTube video and links where we can find these treasures. Tell us why THIS remake doesn’t suck!

Sign up and visit others on the list below!

Two things came to mind immediately when I created this blogfest.


First, the song.

I am a huge Dream Theater fan. When I heard their cover of Elton John’s Love Lies Bleeding, I was amazed. Now, Elton John did an amazing job – he wrote the song. But Dream Theater’s version is just as good.
They captured the same vibe while making it a little more rocking. John Petrucci is just incredible with the guitar. And James LaBrie captured the vocals perfectly.

Here is the live version, which captures it all best:

I also have a move remake that blows the original out of the water.

The Thing From Another World is a 1951 cheesy science fiction/horror film. It’s still highly rated and regarded as a classic.

And then, in 1982, John Carpenter dared to create his version of a science fiction classic.

The result – John Carpenter’s The Thing, a chilling blend of science fiction and horror starring Kurt Russell. A group stationed in the Artic are infiltrated by the Thing, an alien creature who can imitate other lifeforms perfectly. The special effects were created by Rob Bottin and long before CGI was used in many movies. Despite the years, the effects still hold up. (As witnessed in the ‘sequel’ in 2011 – the CGI effects didn’t even look as good.)

Here’s a clip from the film. It highlights the tension, the effects, and the score which was done by Carpenter himself:

Join us and please visit others on the list:

Anyone else see Murder on the Orient Express? (Either version!) Ready for Justice League? What remakes do you recommend?

And I almost missed it - November 9 marked eight years of blogging for me!

I’ll be leaving the end of the week for Thanks giving with family, so I won’t be online beyond responding to comments and Twitter. To my American friends, have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving. See you Monday, November 27.

* I'll post a review of Justice League when I return - but it was awesome! Loved it - great action, funny, and characters were perfect. Ignore the critics. I think Marvel paid them all off...

Book to Movie Dream, The Night Manager Review, Question of the Month, New Releases, and What Movies Have Held Up Over Time?

Thanks to everyone who joined us last Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

I am in need of co-hosts!

If you can co-host July 6, August 3, or September 7, leave a comment or send me an email. Thanks!


I also have the honor of a guest post at Anne R. Allen’s Blog on Sunday, June 12!

My New Dream by Lori L. MacLaughlin

Thanks very much, Alex, for having me over!!

When I published my first book, I realized a dream. But now that I've reached that star, I've had to come up with a new dream. Something that seems as far out of reach as my first dream did back then. What better thing to choose than to see my book made into a movie?

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had this dream. What author doesn't fantasize about seeing their story come to life on the big screen?

Hmmm... what actors would I choose for the MCs? The hero? Based on looks alone, I'd pick Joe Manganiello. I hope he can act.

The heroine? That's a bit more difficult. She's a swordfighter who is tough on the outside to hide her inner vulnerability. The actress would need the platinum blonde looks of Tanya Roberts in the movie Sheena (though with... ahem... more appropriate clothing), the devil-may-care attitude of Sandahl Bergman from Conan the Barbarian (again, with more reasonable clothing, though I have to admit, Conan didn't have much on either), and the sword handling skills of Xena, Warrior Princess or Red Sonja. (Can't any of these warrior women get decent battle attire? I mean, seriously. Who would go into battle half dressed? At least Xena had some armor.)

It would also be nice if she had some acting ability, unlike some of the above actresses, and I do mean some and not all. Some were good, if a bit over the top at times, but others were, shall we say, not Academy Award winners.

The other problem is that my heroine is left-handed, and I don't think that can be faked.

Anyone know of any good left-handed actresses that could handle the role? What actors/actresses would you choose for your characters?

Tara Triannon is no stranger to trouble. She's yet to find an enemy her skill with a sword couldn't dispatch. But how can she fight one that attacks through her dreams?

Find it at:  Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Kobo  iBooks

Find Lori at: Website/Blog  Goodreads  Facebook  Google+  Pinterest

Review – The Night Manager

This mini-series is based on the John le Carre novel of the same name. The night manager of an Egyptian hotel is recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate an international arms dealer’s network.
This was an excellent spy mini-series, largely in part to the exotic locations and the top notch acting.
Everyone involved brings their A game. Hugh Laurie is charming with an underlying tone of menace. Tom Hiddleston is completely believable as the tormented night manager turned spy. Also starring Tom Hollander, Olivia Colman, and Elizabeth Debicki.
This six episode series ran on AMC and you can now find it on iTunes and Amazon. Highly recommended!

Question of the Month

Hosted by Michael at A Life Examined

The question is – “Of all the places in the world that you haven’t yet been to, where would you like to go next?”

I’ve been to some cool places – Japan, England, France, Scotland, Canada, etc.

But one place I haven’t been that I’d still like to see is New Zealand. It’s a beautiful, diverse country, and it would be cool to see the locations where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed.

And bonus – unlike Australia, I won’t have to contend with the world’s deadliest snakes and spiders! (Sorry, Michael.)

New Releases!

Tuck Watley: Freedom Fighter Fighter by Bryan Pedas and Brandon Meyers

And, as an added incentive to their blog friends, if you buy the $2.99 eBook and promise to leave a review, they will send you a free autographed paperback copy. (USA only.)

Buy it on Amazon

Welcome to Sortilege Falls by Libby Heily

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

And the Lark Arose From the Sullen Earth by Ursula Hartlein (CarrieAnne Brownian)

Find it on Amazon

Movies That Stand the Test of Time

Last week we pulled an older movie off the shelf to watch. And I was really surprised by how well it had held up in terms of the story, how the movie looked, and the special effects. Some films don’t hold up well after twenty-thirty years. (Some don’t make it as far as ten years.)

That got me to thinking about what films have stood the test of time:

The Thing (1982) This is the film we watched and the special effects are still top-notch and just as good as the recent ‘remake.’ No corny dialogue and the film score is as haunting as ever.

Jaws (1975) Despite all the issues they had with Bruce the shark, the effects still look good and the dialogue is snappy. The only thing that dates it is the clothing.

Jurassic Park (1993) Yes, I still believe the dinosaurs are real. They look just as good as the latest film. Plus the film is as solid as ever.

Aliens (1986) Considering the amount of special effects (mostly physical ones) and sets, this one is really impressive. The aliens still move real and great performances keep it fresh.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) This one impresses me the most. It came out the same year as Star Wars, but if Lucas hadn’t redone some of the special effects, Close Encounters would now look light years ahead of Star Wars. The spaceship at the end is still jaw-dropping. A little dated with the clothing but great performances keep this movie relevant.



What movies over twenty years do you think have held up well?

Who would you pick to play in the movie version of your book? Have you seen The Night Manager? What new place would you travel to? And what movie still looks great today after all these years…?

And if you can co-host the IWSG, please let me know!

September Movie Preview, Science Fiction Lyrics Trivia Answers, and CassaFire Wins an Award! Plus Battle of the Bands, Ninja News, and Cover Reveals

Shaking things up today as we’ve a lot to cover!

Science Fiction Metal-Rock Lyrics Trivia Answers

1 – “Strange shapes light up the night, I’ve never seen ‘em though I hope I might, Don’t ask if they are real, The men in black their lips are sealed.” Blue Oyster Cult – Take Me Away
2 – “People of the earth can you hear me? Came a voice from the sky on that magical night, And in the colors of a thousand sunsets, They traveled through the world on a silvery light.” Billy Thorpe – Children of the Sun
3 – “An ill wind comes arising, Across the cities of the plain, There’s no swimming in the heavy water, No singing in the acid rain, Red alert, red alert.” Rush – Distant Early Warning
4 – “Foreign life forms inventory, Suspended state of cryogenics, Selective amnesia’s the story, Believed foretold but who’d expect, The military intelligence.” Megadeth – Hangar 18
5 – “He was turned to steel in the great magnetic field, When he travelled time for the future of mankind.” Black Sabbath – Iron Man

Cover Reveals

A GUILTY GHOST SURPRISED by Gwen Gardner

Paranormal happenings at the Eady household are the norm. Recently, things have become downright peculiar. Childish giggles at odd hours of the night lead Indigo Eady to her little cousin, Bryan, a guileless cherub spirit, complete with Spider Man pajamas and a set of faux angel wings. The problem is that Bryan died nearly three years ago in a hit and run that killed him and his mum…

Add to Goodreads
Haunt Gwen at the following: Blog, Twitter, and Facebook

THEY ALL FALL DOWN by Angela Brown

Abby and Basil: New love reaches new heights as they finally give in to their lust and desire for each other.
Q: Consumed by the Devourer within and his base need to claim Abby as his own.
The crave: What it all boils down to. A crave for souls. A crave to keep love intact beyond betrayals. A crave for a second chance. A crave for power and The Fall of mankind.

Add to Goodreads
Haunt Angela at the following: Blog, Twitter, and Facebook

Covers look awesome, ladies!!

Ninja News

Libby Heily’s latest collection of short stories is now available on Amazon. The Victory Rule is a collection of soft science fiction stories with a typical Libby Heily twist. To celebrate the release, The Victory Rule and Fourth Degree Freedom are available for free until Friday August 30. Congratulations, Libby!

Justine Dell’s latest book is available now - Until Next Time. You can also enter to win a Kindle Fire HD – see her site for details. Congratulations, Justine!

Jessica Ferguson’s book is also available this week - The Last Daughter. Congratulations, Jess!
And thanks again for letting me invade your blogs on Monday.

Battle of the Bands

Started a few weeks ago by Farawayeyes and Stephen T. McCarthy, this series pits two bands singing the same song against each other every Friday. When Arlee Bird said he was participating as well, I had to join the fun.

I decided my first offering would be two versions that are just about as far apart as possible. Which version do you like better? (I’m guessing most won’t pick Zombie, but I think it’s an awesome twist on an old 70’s hit! If KC were dead, he'd be rolling in his grave. Plus the video starts as if it’s an old monster kid’s show.)

September Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming movies for September! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

6 –

Riddick
Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators. Activating an emergency beacon alerts two ships: one carrying a new breed of mercenary, the other captained by a man from Riddick's past.
Director: David Twohy
Stars: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff, Jordi Mollà
Hoping for a return to the awesomeness that was Pitch Black!

13 –

Insidious: Chapter 2
The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.
Director: James Wan
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye
The first one was all right but not enough for me to want to see another. However, Patrick Wilson is on a roll with paranormal movies…


20 –

Prisoners 
When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo
Sounds depressing, but the wife digs Jackman. Sigh.


27 –

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he's forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational and is churning out menacing food-animal hybrids.
Directors: Cody Cameron | Kris Pearn
Stars: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris
The first one was actually really good and I chuckle every time I see the previews for this film – “There’s a leek in the boat!”

Rush
A biography of Austrian Formula 1 champion driver Niki Lauda and the 1976 crash that almost claimed his life. Mere weeks after the accident, he got behind the wheel to challenge his British rival, James Hunt.
Director: Ron Howard
Stars: Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde, Natalie Dormer
Not my kind of film, but for the ladies, it has Hemsworth, and for the guys, Wilde.

CassaFire News!!

My publisher notified me Wednesday that CassaFire won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Science Fiction!

Yes, that’s officially the first award I’ve ever won. Probably the last, but I’ll take it!

Whoa! Get any trivia right? Excited about the new and upcoming books? Which version of the song would you pick? Any September movies strike your fancy? And can you believe CassaFire won an award? (Because I sure can’t!)

Since Monday is a holiday, I’m taking it off – but will be back Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Remember, I’m announcing a special two-year anniversary surprise that day!

Michael Offutt and Oculus, Libby Heily and Tough Girl, Ninja News, and Your A to Z Challenge Hosts!!!!

A lot to cover today! (Promise my posts will be much shorter during the A to Z Challenge.) First we kick off with friend and fellow science fiction author, Michael Offutt, who is here to entertain, amuse, and tell you why you need to buy Oculus, his latest book.

Steve Jobs would want you to buy Oculus

My earliest memory of board games started with Monopoly. I think that’s why my protagonist likes games too (don’t tell fans of hockey that it’s just a game). A little bit of us always shows up in our characters, right? Don’t answer that, but please indulge a few paragraphs of my insanity.

“My number on the squad is 11,” Jordan might say. “It’s my favorite, but this isn’t Craps. And three doubles in a row is bad, at least by the rules I play. If I say I’m a player, and I’m lucky is that a double entendre? I’m the lucky one, and this is not the third roll.

“I landed on Alex Cavanaugh’s blog with the dog. I always play the dog. It doesn’t shed and is all shiny out of the box. And Alex’s blog is Free Parking. You can’t argue with that. Ninjas never charge for parking. Not when they can slash your tires with a sword and can make you pass go without collecting $200. Do you have any idea how much that is in Ramen noodles?

“But it isn’t the happiest day of my life. That’s when I won $10 at a beauty contest. For a guy that’s pretty special. For a fake character in a real book, that’s redder than Emma Stone’s lips on Oscar night. And it’s doing pretty good. Shortly after that though, Kolin went directly to jail. Sometimes them’s the breaks. I feel bad for him…well partially bad. At least there’s no soap to drop and the menacing scowl behind the bars is just drawn on. You don’t want to drop the soap in a fake paper jail. The fake paper inmates have a tendency to shove you into one of the Fifty Shades of Grey books. For a fictional guy, that’s almost as bad as sitting through The Notebook.

“Still, there’s part of me that sheds the water works. I never liked that utility anyway. Water works are best done by chicks, right? But if you disagree, that’s fine. I won’t charge you if you give me your get out of jail free card. We all know you put out to get out, but your secret’s safe with me. I’m a black hole of secrets. Just remember, I see through you.

“Oh! You landed on Chance. I wonder what you’ll get. I guess that page is still unwritten. I hope you win $10 at a beauty contest. Then you could buy my story and feel validated at the same time. But don’t take it from me. Take it from Steve Jobs. ‘Oculus’ means ‘eye.’

“And anything that starts with “I” (iPad, iPod, iPhone) just has to be cool, or I’m not a character worth his ink. That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.”

At least…I think that’s what Jordan might say.

Investigate more about Oculus HERE
Find Michael here: Blog, Website, Goodreads, and Facebook.

Tough Girl now available!

Tough Girl by Libby Heily

Danger lurks everywhere in eleven year old Reggie's world—from the bully next door to the unwanted attentions of a creep at school. Raised by her mentally ill mother, Reggie is left to fend for herself in a rough neighborhood. She escapes in daydreams, battling aliens with her alter ego, Tough Girl.
When Reggie's mother disappears, her fantasy life spirals out of control and starts to invade reality. She is hunted by a creature of her own design, and even Tough Girl is not strong enough to stop him.
Will Reggie survive long enough for her mother to return, or will her dream world take over?

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords.

Libby’s book tour also kicks off today, so check her site for tour stops!

Ninja News

For those of you who’ve followed the wonderful Yvonne Lewis, she now has a new blog. Someone was stealing her poetry and she had to make some changes. You can find this delightful lady now at Yvonne’s Poetry Corner

M Pax, Suze, and Nicki are hosting the Back From the Future Blogfest on March 1. These ladies rock, so check it out.

VikLit at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author has started a new weekly meme – Celebrate the Small Things. Every Friday, Vik invites participates to mention something they want to celebrate that week, no matter how small. See her site for details.

Annalisa and Kyra are hosting the Imaginary Friend Bloghop on February 1. If you had an imaginary friend, check these charming ladies’ sites for details.

And the next book in Christine Rains’ series The 13th Floor is out now. She’s on tour for The Alpha, so check out her site for tour stops.

This Year’s Challenge Hosts!

I am honored to be a co-host again this year for the Challenge. The very first Challenge in 2010 changed my blog forever and I am in debt to Lee for creating this amazing event. There were only a hundred of us that first year, and now there are thousands. I hope that everyone can join us this year!

This year we have ten returning hosts and welcome Livia, Diane, and Nicole to the team!

Arlee Bird at Tossing It Out
Damyanti Biswas at Amlokiblogs
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Tina Downey at Life is Good
DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude 2.0
Jeremy Hawkins at Retro-Zombie
Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse
Matthew MacNish at The QQQE
Konstanz Silverbow at No Thought 2 Small
Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs
Livia Peterson at Leave it to Livia
L. Diane Wolfe at Spunk on a Stick
Nicole at The Madlab Post

Keep abreast of Challenge news by following the Blog, following on Twitter - @AprilA2Z, or reading our Twitter Newspaper. You can also send us an email - infoaz2013@gmail.com

Any questions for Michael? Have you purchased Oculus or Tough Girl? Signed up for the upcoming blogfests? Ready for this year's A to Z Challenge? And did any of your football predictions come true? (Denver crashed and burned and Seattle blew it - told you my picks were suspect!)