Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Movie Reviews, New Book Releases, 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.

The awesome co-hosts for the December 6 posting of the IWSG are C. Lee McKenzie, JQ Rose, Jennifer Lane, and Jacqui Murray!

Today’s question: Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book review, do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author?

Probably a little of both. I won’t leave a review that is less than three stars because I know how much it hurts to get those super-bad reviews. (That and if I’m not enjoying it, I won’t finish the book, and I won’t review what I haven’t completely read.) I never critique the author though, only the story itself.

Rattlesnake and the Old West

The old west is chock full of stories about courageous and foolhardy people who followed the lure of gold to California and forever changed the history of our nation. Two documentaries capture the fascination, the intrigue, and the haunting truth about what are now remnants those people left behind—old mines and ghosts of former towns.

Trailers for these documentaries: Ghosts of the West and America the Story of Us: Gold Rush

In Rattlesnake I hope I’ve captured the same old west atmosphere as these movies did. My challenge was to do that in two different centuries—the 1850s and the late 1900s

For a moment, the sun balanced on the tip of the tallest peak, then slipped behind the mountains, turning them black against the sky. They were out of options all except for going back to Old Cemetery Road and dealing with the property. From somewhere far out in the desert came the loneliest sound Jonah had ever heard. That high-pitched yowl caught him at the center of his stomach. Suddenly, he felt eyes on him from every direction, and the shadows grew teeth.

Rattlesnake releases this month! Find it here: Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, book trailer on YouTube
Connect with C. Lee McKenzie on her site

Movie Reviews

Godzilla Minus One
Japan’s love letter to the original Godzilla film, now almost seventy years old.
Remakes usually fall short because they use the excuse of ‘upgrading the special effects’ and yet do nothing with the plot. With this film, they actually upgraded everything. And in turn, created a film that is similar to the original and yet unique on its own.
It opens in the final days of WWII with a Kamikaze pilot who has chickened out and lands at a base on a remote island. Godzilla appears and the carnage and drama unfolds from there.
Godzilla is in rare form here. He looks as good as the last three American Godzilla films. And he is badass. This Godzilla only wants to kill and destroy. You will be glued to every scene involving him, especially when he unleashes that mighty breath weapon.
This movie is similar to the original, and yet there are so many new elements, so much upgrade…it’s its own creation. And yet, it still gives tribute to its origins, even a nod to the Raymond Burr scenes that weren’t even in the original movie.
Its only downside is a few slow scenes and some melodrama. But I think the latter fits with the times. As usual, more Godzilla, less people, please. But the human story is very moving.
Highly recommended to fans of Godzilla and monster movies!

Journey to Bethlehem
First, a big thanks to Rosey - I won tickets to see this film from her site.
Had no idea what to expect (outside of The Greatest Story Ever Told, of course) and the fact it’s a musical caught me off guard. But it was really enjoyable! Unlike some Christian films, this boasted quality production, great effects, great acting, great singing, and a unique, funny, but mostly accurate take on the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of the King of Kings.
Biggest name actor is Antonio Banderas as King Herod. And boy, does he chew up the scenery!
Highly recommended. And it’s only ninety minutes long!!

New Releases!

Conduction by Tara Tyler
Sci Fi Detective Thriller or Techno Thriller
Book 4 in Pop Travel series
In 2085, cutting edge technology is the most valuable currency, and the black tech market offers high pay-offs for diamond-level code.
Find it on Amazon

Your Life with Jesus: How to Spark Memories and Write Your Spiritual Memoir by JQ Rose
Your life with Jesus guides you in penning your sacred story and invites you to journey into a deeper faith experience.
Find Your Life with Jesus at Amazon and other retailers

Doom and Bloom by Elizabeth Spann Craig
There's some shady business at the garden club event.
A Myrtle Clover Mystery, #23
Find Doom and Bloom’s purchase links here.

December Movie Preview

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

15 –
Wonka
Director: Paul King
Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant
The story will focus specifically on a young Willy Wonka and how he met the Oompa-Loompas on one of his earliest adventures.
Oompa loompa doompety don’t!

22 –
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Director: James Wan
Stars: Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Patrick Wilson
Aquaman balances his duties as king and as a member of the Justice League, all while planning a wedding. Black Manta is on the hunt for Atlantean tech to help rebuild his armor. Orm plots to escape his Atlantean prison.'
Aquaman’s real quest – recover Amber Heard’s career.

How do you write book reviews? Seen either movie? Ready to read Rattlesnake or the other new releases? Any movies interest you this month?
I have a special interview with Doreen McGettigan - please check it out!
I will be taking a break for most of December, so I’m wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, March Movie Preview, the Media Explosion, and New 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.


My awesome co-hosts today are Jacqui Murray, Lisa Buie-Collard, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

Today’s question - Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories?

You know, I really can’t think of any. Not outside of my own religious beliefs. I wouldn’t call those customs though – those are God’s laws. I guess if I wrote outside of science fiction, traditions and customs would come up more often.

What about you?

IWSG Instagram schedule for March:

The EXPLOSION OF MEDIA!

by Tara Tyler

Alex is so generous with his very visible blog -- thanks so much for letting me come over today!

There are sooooo many ways to be entertained these days. And yet, we can still look at it all and say "There's nothing good on..." I recently posted about my frustration with the movie industry's money over matter attitude and their inability to take risks HERE. But this could just be me?

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY!

I watch movies from every generation, from B&W to CGI. And there are some I can watch over and over again--the ones with amazing characters and stories that surprise you or warm your heart. There are also several vividly captivating books that urge me to write screenplays for them, many Indies, that I want to share with the world!

With all the streaming media outlets these days (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc) with more sprouting all the time (Disney +, Apple TV, YouTube, etc), not to mention social media platforms where amateurs get discovered, you'd think it would be easier to submit quality writing and make a movie!

It's a great time to be a writer! But with all these public venues, tons of wannabes emerge making it harder for them to wade through all the attention-seekers as they try to choose what will propel them to the top of the heap and get more subscriptions, clicks, and likes.

So if you've ever thought about turning your fabulous underappreciated work(s) into a movie, go for it! Look for contests to enter. And if you don't know how, you can collaborate. Movies and Series are big deal productions, more help means more connections and exposure. And hopefully the producers that be will take more chances on Indies like us! We are the root of new and exciting material!

What book(s) would you like to see on the big or small screen? 

Taking Back Beast World, Phase 2. Disney/Pixar's Onward comes out Mar 6 with a setting eerily close to BEAST WORLD. Excited to see the Suburban Fantasy World setting of my books come to life... So if you like background, you'll love BEAST WORLD!

How to find:

website: Tara Tyler Talks

twitter: @taratylertalks

facebook: Tara Tyler - Author

Instagram: taratylertalks

newsletter: tara tyler news

Ninja News

New release from our IWSG Admin!

About Us by Elizabeth Seckman

Find it on Kobo and Smashwords and Amazon for free!

Available now -

The Executioner by Murees Dupè 

Find it on Amazon and Smashwords

March Movie Preview

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

6 –

Onward
Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there.
Director: Dan Scanlon
Stars: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Ratzenberger
In addition to being similar to Tara's Beast World, it's getting lackluster reviews. Pass!

The Way Back
A former HS basketball phenom, struggling with alcoholism, is offered a coaching job at his alma mater. As the team starts to win, he may have a reason to confront his old demons. But will it be enough to set him on the road to redemption?
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Stars: Ben Affleck, Janina Gavankar, Michaela Watkins, Da'Vinchi
The unbelievable true story of Batman forgetting the entrance to the Batcave! Or just another sport drama.



13 –

Bloodshot
Ray Garrison, a slain soldier, is re-animated with superpowers.
Director: Dave Wilson
Stars: Sam Heughan, Eiza González, Vin Diesel, Guy Pearce
Take one part Universal Soldier, the villain from Iron Man III, a helping of The Punisher, and a sprinkling of Wolverine and you have Bloodshot. (Yeah, and we'll probably see it anyway...)





20 –

A Quiet Place: Part II
Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path.
Director: John Krasinski
Stars: Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe
The sequel to the greatest mime movie ever made!





27 –

Mulan 
A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father. A live-action feature film based on Disney's 'Mulan.'
Director: Niki Caro
Stars: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Li Gong
No goofy dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy? I'm all right with that...

What traditions have you placed in your stories? Would one of your stories or books make a great movie? And what movie catches your eye this month?

We need at least one more co-host for April and a couple for May! (May co-hosts get the early scoop on the anthology contest!) Let me know if you can help either month.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Sci-fi Fantasy Movies, July Movie Preview, and More!

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 July 3 posting of the IWSG are Erika Beebe, Natalie Aguirre, Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie-Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

July 3 question: What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

Most of my characters are nothing like me. Aden from Dragon of the Stars is pretty much my polar opposite. Only Byron from my Cassa series got any of my traits – I’m also a perfectionist and like my privacy. When I was younger, I had his temper, but I outgrew that. Like most rock stars, I mellowed with age…

And on a side note, I have been writing! Around a thousand words a night for the past week. But I’m in the groove and should have a finished story by August.

Science Fiction - Fantasy Movies

I'm so excited to have a spot on IWSG day at the grand poobah's place!

Alex is a top notch movie reviewer and sci fi writer, among other fantastic things... So as I celebrate the release of WINDY HOLLOW, fantasy adventure, I thought a short post about my favorite sci-fantasy movies would be apropos. Sci-fantasy incorporates sci fi settings or tech with some mystical or magical components. In Beast World, the fantasy creatures are no strangers to modern-day technology!

Here are some of my favorites of yon and of late... I didn't want to take up too much space, and I bet you could name a bunch more in the comments!

Star Wars (1977 sci-fantasy at its finest!)
Time Bandits (1981)
The Secret of Nimh (1982)
Honey I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
The Matrix (1999)
I, Robot (2004)
WALL*E (2008)
Inception (2010)
Wreck It Ralph (2012)
Ready Player One (2018)

I always thought my Beast World stories would be awesome for an animated film series. They have everything I look for in a fantasy adventure movie: hijinks, young romance, difficult journeys, friendship, action, suspense, justice, unpredictability, highs, lows, soul-searching, unsung heroes, and lots of laughs. (Side note: I wrote this article back in January for my expected release back then... after some agony, I finally published it myself, then discovered a movie will be coming out next year: ONWARD by Pixar that is basically set in my Beast World. It’s been a devastating blow, but I’m working on getting noticed and taking it back!)

Anyway, thanks again for having me, Alex. I enjoyed the stroll down my sci-fantasy movie past and future. And for helping me get the word out about WINDY HOLLOW!

Did you think of a sci-fantasy movie you love? Ever wish your book could be turned into a movie?


WINDY HOLLOW
Beast World MG Fantasy Series, book #3
by Tara Tyler
Available NOW!

This summer, Gabe and his friends fly over the Great Sea for the wedding of the century: a dragon prince and a beautiful harpy. But Gabe can't relax on this vacation. Besides competing in rigorous wedding events, he overhears the nearby human village WINDY HOLLOW is in danger from an evil human scientist and a vengeful were-ogre experimenting on beasts. Gabe and his friends risk crossing the mountains to help, despite several warnings. 

Maybe he's going too far this time, but he's in too deep to quit. It's do or die, hopefully not die!

Paperback ~~~ Ebook

Goodreads

website: Tara Tyler Talks

twitter: @taratylertalks

facebook: Tara Tyler - Author

Instagram: taratylertalks

newsletter: tara tyler news

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

IWSG Anthology Contest

Don’t forget the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Annual Anthology Contest is open and taking submissions!
Genre is middle grade historical – adventure/ fantasy and the theme is voyagers.
See the site for full details.

For those who are confused by the genre:
Middle grade – suitable for 9 – 14 year-old children.
Historical – it must have historical aspects and be set in a time before 2000 or earlier. It just needs to be set in the past.
Adventure/fantasy – the subgenre can be either adventure OR fantasy. The fantasy genre is acceptable as there are many ancient cultures and times that believed in supernatural occurrences.

Book News!

My publisher is running a Fourth of July special - buy a book and get a free book.

Full details on their site.

Poisoned by the Pier by Ellen Jacobson

Life without chocolate and junk food—completely miserable. Finding someone poisoned by a cake—even worse.
Can Mollie nab the murderer before someone else is poisoned?
Spoiler Alert: You’ll never look at rutabagas the same way again after you finish reading this book!

Find Poisoned at the Pier on Amazon and Goodreads
Find Ellen at her website and blog

July Movie Preview

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

2 –

Spiderman: Far From Home
Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Zendaya, Angourie Rice, Tom Holland, Jon Favreau
Saw this on opening night - awesome! Don't miss it. And stay for the double ending. Totally worth it. Review next week!

12 –

Stuber
A detective recruits his Uber driver into an unexpected night of adventure.
Director: Michael Dowse
Stars: Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Betty Gilpin, Kumail Nanjiani
Drax takes an Uber…

Crawl
A young woman, while attempting to save her father during a Category 5 hurricane, finds herself trapped in a flooding house and must fight for her life against alligators. Director: Alexandre Aja
Stars: Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, Ross Anderson, Anson Boon
Alligators attacking during a hurricane. I dread the Asylum/SyFy rip-off coming – Sharknado vs. Hurrigator.

19 –

The Lion King
After the murder of his father, a young lion prince flees his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery.
Director: Jon Favreau
Stars: John Kani, Seth Rogen, Donald Glover, Keegan-Michael Key
At this point, Disney doesn’t need an original thought ever again…

26 –

Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood
A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Sydney Sweeney
Tarantino puts 70’s Hollywood in a blender.

Do your characters have your personality traits? What are your favorite science fiction - fantasy films? Picking up Windy Hollow,  Poisoned at the Pier, or another book? (Ellen will be here on Monday!) Submitting to the IWSG Anthology Contest? And what July movies catch your eye?

Reviews - Toy Story 4, NOS4A2, Prodigy, and Baroness’s Gold and Grey Album – Plus New Releases

Jamie at Just the Cheese is interviewing Chewbacca (played by me) on Wednesday – check it out for some slightly raunchy laughs!

Plus – we have a guest at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group site today who got a three book deal all because of #IWSGPit! So check it out.

Movie Reviews

Toy Story 4 

There was no short before the film, which was fine. (The one about the woman eating her dumpling son was just weird.)
This film had the feel good sensibilities of the first movie and it felt similar in tone. It picks up not too long after Andy gave the toys to Bonnie.
It was great seeing all the characters again. Newcomer Forky added a lot of humor. Bonnie made him at school out of a spork from the trash and he keeps climbing back into trash cans while Woody does what he can to convince Forky he’s Bonnie’s new favorite toy, not trash.
The animation is of course spectacular.
On the surface it seems like a kid’s movie, but the many adult themes that weave their way through the story will resonate with adults. Woody was purposeless and didn’t know where he fit in anymore – that’s a heavy concept for kids.
It was a fitting way to end it, if it really is the end this time.
Not my favorite Toy Story but better than three and I enjoyed it.
Recommended

NOS4A2

From the IMDB - Charlie Manx, a seductive immortal who feeds off the souls of children, has his whole world threatened when a young woman (Vic McQueen) in New England discovers she has a dangerous gift.
For those who think famous people’s kids get all the breaks – well, they do. I’ve never read any of the books by Joe Hill (a.k.a. – Joe KING) so I can’t speak to the man’s writing prowess. But after watching the first couple episodes, the story is very entertaining.
It’s like X-Men combined with horror. Some people have unique special powers. Some can go anywhere through a magical bridge and find lost things (like Vic McQueen), some can see the future through Scrabble tiles, and some (like Charlie Manx) can stay perpetually young by siphoning life from children.
It’s an interesting twist on the vampire legend. Stephen King called it ‘Scary as hell,’ but it’s not really scary – just very intriguing. (Yeah, don’t you wish your dad was famous and gave you a blurb like that?) Although it is starting to drag just a little bit...
The show is on AMC – recommended.

Prodigy

From Rotten Tomatoes - A secret branch of the military calls upon psychologist James Fonda to take the case of a dangerous patient, nine-year-old Ellie.
This is an effective film on a very tiny budget, taking place in one building. It’s a science fiction thriller/drama that’s all psychological, so don’t expect a lot of action. It’s a cat-and-mouse battle of wits between Ellie and James.
What really sells the movie is the actress playing Ellie, Savannah Liles. She is chilling as the gifted, super-genius, and very dangerous child. She’s also cold and heartless, making it even more difficult to get through to her. And scary to try!
It doesn’t break new ground, but it’s definitely worth a watch.
Recommended

Baroness - Gold and Grey

I picked up their first album, Red, in 2007. While I enjoyed it, the album reminded me of Mastodon. I kind of forgot about them until Purple was released in 2015 and I fell in love with their unique brand of rock, sludge, and prog rock.
Cut to Gold and Grey which furthers their sound and cements them in my eyes (or ears) as one of the most vibrant and interesting bands making music today.
Every song has its own feel and style, and yet they all fit together to create a cohesive – dare I say – masterpiece. Practically every song is an earworm in the best way possible.
So catchy and inventive, it’s my second favorite album of the year. (Right behind Devon Townsend’s Empath.) I recommend it for people who enjoy music that challenges them.

New Releases

Windy Hollow
Beast World MG Fantasy Series, book #3
By Tara Tyler

In BROKEN BRANCH FALLS, Gabe and his friends go on a quest to save their school, blowing up all the rules, and discover their origins.
Then they go to CRADLE ROCK and meet some real live humans, scaring them into attack mode. The Beasts realize they have to spread the truth ASAP.
Now, school's out, and Gabe is ready for a break from all the drama...
Gabe and his friends fly over the Great Sea for the wedding of the century: a dragon prince and a beautiful harpy. But Gabe can't relax on this vacation. Besides competing in rigorous wedding events, he overhears the nearby human village WINDY HOLLOW is in danger from an evil human scientist and a vengeful were-ogre experimenting on beasts. Gabe and his friends risk crossing the mountains to help, despite several warnings.
Maybe he's going too far this time, but he's in too deep to quit. It's do or die, hopefully not die!

Find it on Amazon

The Demon Kiss
Rite World: Blackthorn Hunters Academy, Book 1
By Juliana Haygert
A young woman with a secret heritage. A man who made a deal with the devil. And an academy where the students are just as dangerous as the demons...
Find it on Amazon

City of Wished 4: The Eternal Night
By Rachel Morgan
Cinderella retold: Fae, vampires, shifters, and a Godmother who’ll grant you any wish—if you pay the price.
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes and Noble

Don’t forget the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Annual Anthology Contest is open and taking submissions!

Genre is middle grade historical – adventure/ fantasy and the theme is voyagers.

See the site for full details.

Anyone else see Toy Story 4? Watching NOS4A2? Seen Prodigy? Want to take a chance on Baroness’ great new album? Picking up some new books? And are you entering the IWSG Anthology Contest – just two more months to send your submission!

See you next Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group post.

And don’t forget to visit Just the Cheese !

Justice League Movie Review, Great Geek Gifts, December Movie Preview, and IWSG News!

I’m back! Hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a good time with family.

Justice League Movie Review

No idea what film the critics saw. The disparity between critical reviews and movie goers is around fifty percent, which is very suspect. My wife thinks Disney paid off the critics so they’d bash this DC film.
I thought it was great!
Justice League really captures the feel of a comic book. Whereas Marvel films feel like big budget productions, this feels like it was ripped from the pages of the comics. The Mother Boxes are part of the Justice League mythology, as is the villain Steppenwolf, which is obviously leading up to Darkseid.
Marvel has done better setting up the movies, but this film puts DC on the right track. It’s not perfect, but the special effects are great, the characters are spot-on, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun. There are moments which are touching and others where you will laugh out loud. (The Flash has the funniest moment in the movie.)
The team is brought together out of necessity more than they want to be together. This leads to some jabbing and poking, especially from Aquaman. (So, you dress up as a bat?)
Plus it’s under two hours, which is just perfect.
Highly recommended!

Geek Gifts

Looking for some unique gifts for the geek in your life? Look no further thanks to Think Geek!

For Star Trek fans, how about a Next Generation bath robe:

For the Star Wars fan, there’s an R2-D2 Coffee Press:

If you have to go the ugly sweater route, at least make it cool with a Serenity Christmas sweater:

And for the Doctor Who fan, there’s a Tardis rug:

Ninja News

The final 2017 posting for the IWSG is Wednesday, December 6.


Chrys Fey is visiting the IWSG site today, discussing the IWSG Goodreads Book Club and its benefits for writers.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the next IWSG Twitter Pitch Party – Thursday, January 18!
With hundreds of agents and publishers, this one will be ten times bigger than our first event.
So, polish those manuscripts over the Christmas break and prepare your Twitter pitch!

New release!
DISPOSAL by Tara Tyler
Pop Travel, Book Three
Cooper and Geri are finally in a good place, but their bliss is short-lived when Cooper's rebellious nephew Jimmy moves in with them for a summer internship…
Find it on Amazon.

Piper Morgan Plans a Party by Stephanie Faris
Piper tries to plan the perfect party in the fifth book of the charming Piper Morgan series.
Find it on Amazon

And thanks to my co-host Heather M. Gardner and everyone who participated in the Remakes Blogfest! There were some really good picks.

December Movie Preview

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

8 –

The Shape of Water
An other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Doug Jones
As they say in MST3K, it’s the swamp thing verses the sweet thing… (It is supposed to be awesome though.)

15 –

Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Having taken her first steps into the Jedi world, Rey joins Luke Skywalker on an adventure with Leia, Finn and Poe that unlocks mysteries of the Force and secrets of the past.
Director: Rian Johnson
Stars: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher
Rumor has it Rey joins the Dark Side and slaughters a village of Ewoks…so the Dark Side can’t be all that bad.

22 –

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Four teenagers discover an old video game console and are literally drawn into the game's jungle setting becoming the adult avatars they chose.
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black
Welcome to the Shameless Cash Grab was the original subtitle...

Anyone else see Justice League? Ready to geek out with any of those gifts? Looking forward to #IWSGPit next year? And what movies will you see in December?