Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s Twelve Year Anniversary and September 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 September 6 posting of the IWSG are Sonia Dogra, J Lenni Dorner, Pat Garcia, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Meka James!

Today’s question: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

Over twelve years ago, a casual comment to a writer friend led me to the name and idea of an Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

We began as this blog hop before launching the website a year later. Then followed Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and a newsletter. And book contests! Our Twitter pitch, #IWSGPit. Plus we even sell IWSG swag. (Profits help pay for the domain name and email.)

First, big shout-out to my fellow IWSG Admins - Michelle, Diane, Pat, C. Lee, Juneta, Sandra, and the dozen previous admins who kept everything going.

Second, a big shout-out to all of you! Those of you participating in the blog hop, members of the Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram groups, subscribe to the newsletter, participated in the contests and #IWSGPit, support writers by reading…you are all awesome!

September Movie Preview

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

1 –

The Equalizer 3
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Stars: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Sonia Ammar Robert McCall finds himself at home in Southern Italy but he discovers his friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become his friends' protector by taking on the mafia.
How many sequels do we need before Denzel can balance his checkbook?

15 –

A Haunting in Venice
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Kelly Reilly, Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh
In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer.
Spoiler alert – the gondola did it!

22 –

Expend4bles
Director: Scott Waugh
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, 50 Cent. Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren
The Expendables will square up against an arms dealer who commands the might of a massive private army.
Surprisingly, this movie is about tea parties and long, intricate conversations…not!

When did you discover the IWSG and what has it meant to you? Any movies catch your interest this month?

Be back in a couple weeks with a special guest!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Oppenheimer and They Cloned Tyrone Reviews, and August 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 August 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkindale, Diane Burton, Janet Alcorn, and Shannon Lawrence!

Today’s question: Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?

I don’t think I ever have. I write from my moral gut, so nothing there to alter. My only conflict was killing a main character, but I left it in anyway. Although some people protested the fact there are no women in my first book. (Read the second and you'll understand why.) I never changed it though. How about you?

Just a heads up – next month is the twelve-year anniversary of the IWSG!

Reviews

Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan’s latest ambitious project covers a portion of the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man key to the development of the atomic bomb.
Like all Nolan films, this one boasts a high level of brilliance on every level. The visuals are precise, purposeful, and striking. The music fits every scene, often haunting and unsettling. And the acting – everyone brings their A game.
Most notably is of course Cillian Murphy in the title role. He wastes no words, gestures, or expressions. Robert Downey Jr. also blends into his role as Lewis Strauss.
My one negative – can no one make a movie under two hours anymore? At three hours, it’s just too long.
That said, every scene is riveting. Good luck getting up to go to the bathroom! For a talking film, it moves at a fast clip and clues are dropped every time the scene changes.
The moment they test the bomb is of course spectacular. Although I liked the last third of the film (what happens after that test) the best.
I didn’t love it yet I have to highly recommend it!

They Cloned Tyrone
Set in the ghetto, strange events leads to three people trying to track down the truth.
Highly recommended, I had no idea what to expect. And the first ten-fifteen minutes just follows Tyrone as he traverses The Glen and its slew of shady characters. (Who do not hold back with their colorful language.) I was beginning to wonder.
Then things get weird!
Yes, they discover Tyrone has been cloned. And a bunch of other suspicious events start piling on top of that.
Where this movie excels is in the banter between the three leads. John Boyega (Finn from Star Wars) is Tyrone Fontaine the drug-dealer, Jamie Foxx is Slick Charles the pimp, and Teyonah Parris is Yo-Yo the ho. As they stumble through the bizarre, X-Files like things happening, they keep it light with exchanges that will have you laughing out loud.
This film isn’t for everyone, but if you can handle the language, I really recommend it.

August Movie Preview

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

4 –

The Meg 2: The Trench
Director: Ben Wheatley
Stars: Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Sienna Guillory
Sequel to the 2018 film 'The Meg.'
Not so much a sequel as a cheap ploy by Discovery Channel to pad out Shark Week.

10 –

Dragonkeeper
Director: Salvador Simo
Stars: Bill Nighy, Anthony Howell, Brendan Coyle
In ancient China, dragons were once friends of humans, but our greed ended their alliance, and these magical creatures were hunted down. Years later, in a remote fortress, a young slave girl, Ping, strikes up an unlikely friendship.
When I was in high school, I had a trapper keeper…

11 –

Last Voyage of the Demeter
Director: André Øvredal
Stars: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham
Based on a single chapter, the Captain's Log, from Bram Stoker's classic 1897 novel Dracula, the story is set aboard the Russian schooner Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo - twenty-four unmarked wooden crates - from Carpathia to London. The film will detail the strange events that befell the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a terrifying presence on board the ship. When it finally arrived near Whitby Harbour, it was a derelict. There was no trace of the crew.
Please don’t suck. Or please do! I’m so confused…

17 –

RiffTrax Live: RAD
Going to be awesome!

18 –

Blue Beetle
Director: Angel Manuel Soto
Stars: Becky G, Bruna Marquezine, Xolo Maridueña
An alien relic chooses Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the teenager with a suit of armor that's capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.
Special guest appearance by Herbie the Love Bug!

Have you written something that made you feel conflicted? Have you seen Oppenheimer or They Cloned Tyrone? Any movies catch your eye for August?

IWSG and Inspiring Advice

I and the other admins are at the IWSG site with something unique for you today - Inspiring Advice From IWSG Experts. Come join us!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group; July Movie Preview; and Reviews – The Flash and From

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 July 5 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre!

July 5 question - 99% of my story ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from?

I would have to say from a mix of media. Movies, music, and art. All three influenced the ideas behind my books.

The IWSG Goodreads Book Club had a great run. But Toi Thomas is stepping down and we have decided not to continue the group. It will continue until the end of July. We appreciate Toi’s hard work these past few years and we’re grateful she was a part of the IWSG team. Thanks to all who participated in the book club and we hope you found some great new reads.

Co-Hosts needed!
We need two-three more for August 2, three to four for September 6, and three to four more for October 4. Leave a comment or email me if you can do any of those months.

Reviews

The Flash
Unlike most of the movie-goers out there, I went to see this film and enjoyed it.
It did a serviceable job telling the story of Flashpoint. There were complaints about the Speed Force, but it worked for me.
The opening scene with the Flash and Batman was thrilling. And there are many more exciting action scenes.
Plus there are a ton of Easter eggs and surprises.
It certainly leaves room for a sequel that sadly will never happen. If you didn’t see it in the theater, you’d be able to soon on several streaming services.
Overall, I had a blast watching it. Lots of fun, great action, several hilarious scenes, and all laced with elements of grief and loss, which is the heart of this story.
If you aren’t sick of superhero movies, then I’d highly recommend it.

From
Streaming on MGM, first season free on Prime Video.
People come to this town, but no matter what they do, they can’t leave. They can’t communicate with the world beyond their town. Oh, and there are creatures that will torture and kill you if you are not safely in your home, guarded by a talisman.
That in of itself sounds creepy and crazy, but wait – you’ve not seen anything yet!
Every episode piles on more twists, more problems, more dangers, and very few answers. It’s frustrating sometimes, but the really compelling element to this series is the people.
There’s Boyd, the sheriff trying his best to hold the town together. Donna, who runs Colony House, who is one tough, no-nonsense mama. Jade, who is annoyed by everything and everyone but despite his attitude, you like him. And that’s just it – most of the people, despite the things they do wrong, are decent folks who are just being beaten down by an almost hopeless situation.
There are moments of intense gore, but it’s not the focus. This is a real mindbender of a series. If you like a puzzle (think the series 1899) then you will really be captivated by this show.

July Movie Preview

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

12 –

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Stars: Rebecca Ferguson, Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff, Simon Pegg
Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.
And I’m dead sure I won’t remember any of this film by the time part two comes out…

21 –

Oppenheimer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr.
The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.
They are calling it the feel-irradiated film of the year!

Where do your story ideas come from? Can you help co-host any of those months? Seen The Flash or From? And any movies catch your eye for July?