Everyone is a Critic: Dear Santa
Posted: January 20, 2025 Filed under: Dark Fantasy, Dark Humor, Everyone is a Critic, Movies | Tags: Dark Comedy, Dear Santa, Everyone is a Critic, Holiday Movie, Jack Black, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writing to be Read 8 Comments
I think this film is one of the best roles that I have seen Jack Black in. And no, he’s NOT Santa.
But he does make a pretty good Satan.
This 2024 dark comedy holiday film is based on a simple premise: What happens when a misaddressed letter to Santa winds up in Satan’s mailbox instead? And Jack Black is in his element as the demon charged with delivering Liam’s wish and claiming his soul.
Liam Turner, (played by Robert Timothy Smith), is a genuinely nice eleven-year-old kid with learning diabilities. He knows he’s too old to still be writing to Santa, but he just had to try. But he misprints the letters of the addressee of his letter, and his letter goes to Satan instead, summoning a demon to offer him three wishes and claim his soul.
Liam’s family is broken after the death of his younger brother, he’s never been one of the cool kids, and there’s this really cute girl at school… so there’s plenty of stuff that he could wish for. When Liam becomes popular at school and wins the heart of the girl he’s sweet on, things seem to be working out fine. But all things have a price, and when Liam discovers the real score, he decides the price tag on this deal is too high and he refuses to make more wishes.
The demon will go to great lengths to get Liam to make the third wish and seal the deal, and there’s one thing that is worth more to Liam than his soul. To find out what it is, and how it all turns out, you’ll have to watch the movie. No spoilers here.
About Author Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
____________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
______________________________________
This segment of “Everyone is a Critic” is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw
Share this:
Everyone is a Critic: the “Tulsa King” series
Posted: December 9, 2024 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Television review | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Kaye Lynne Booth, Review, sylvester-stallone, Television review, Tulsa King, Writing to be Read 5 Comments
I’m not a big Stallone fan. His roll as Rocky didn’t do much for me at all. Maybe I’m just not into boxing. I did enjoy him in his roll as Rambo, but it’s not like he made my list of favorite actors. But I have to say Sylvester Stallone as mobster Dwight Manfreddi in Tulsa King, Sylvester Stallone kicks butt. The man is perfect for the role, and very convincing, and I’ve become one of his biggest fans.
I don’t watch a lot of television, but Tulsa King has me hooked. I binged through the first season, then anxiously awaited for each new episode of Season 2 to come out every Sunday. Now I can’t wait for season 3 to come out, but they are saying that won’t be until 2026, although rumor has it that they are already started on the filming third season after the surprise ending at the end of the second season. I don’t know why it would take so long to bring out that third season, but I do know it’s going to be painful waiting for it.
In Tulsa King, Sylvester Stallone plays mobster Dwight Manfreddi, who did a twenty year prison sentence for the New York mob, and as repayment for his loyalty, they hung him out to dry by sending him to Tulsa Oklahoma. But instead of faltering in Tulsa, Dwight puts together his own crew of Tulsa locals, bands together with local business owners, and the elders of the Indian Reservation, creating a force to be reckoned with. The New York mob tries to forget about him, until they find that Tulsa could be a profitable territory and decide they want their cut, but Manfreddi refuses to share in what he has built on his own.
But New York isn’t the only villian that Dwight ‘The General’ Manfreddi must stand against. There’s the local marajuana grower, who is in league with the Chinese mafia, whose toes he’s stepping on as he ventures into new business ventures, and there is the Kansas City mob faction, who never paid much mind to Tulsa until Manifreddi made it a lucrative venture. With villians coming from every direction, there is never a dull moment for the Tulsa King, and I couldn’t help but cheer when Manfreddi’s crew kicks major butt, and cry when they take a hit.
But Sylvester Stallone doesn’t do it alone. The cast for this series all do a smashing job in their parts. When he arrives in Tulsa, he is one man, but soon builds a crew and network to make up his own army to stand against his foes. Tyson, played by Jay Will, is a cab driver who becomes his personal driver. Bar owner, Mitch Keller, played by Garrett Hedlund, becomes his partner as Dwight expands the bar and adds a casino. Martin Starr plays Bodhi, who becomes a partner in the retail marajuana industry. Max Casella plays Armand Truisi, who tries to kills Manfreddi in one of the first episodes, and then becomes a part of the crew. And Dennis ‘Goodie’ Carangi, played by Chris Caldovino, is sent from New York to keep an eye on Manfreddi and ends up as his right-hand man, and Cash Flo plays Bigfoot, the muscle of the crew. Together with many others, they stand against some formidable adversaries.
Dominick Lambardozzi plays Charles ‘Chickie’ Invernizzi, heads up the New York crime family and wants a piece of The General’s action. He and his right-hand man Vince Antonacci, played by Vincent Piazza, try to move in on the Tulsa territory, but Manfreddi has other ideas. In addition, Bill Bevillaqua, played by Frank Grillo, heads up the Kansas City faction and feels that The General is incroaching on his territory. Cal Thresher, played by Neal McDonough, is the owner of the local marajuana grow who feels threatened by Dwight’s interest in that industry, and he’s in bed with Jackie Ming, who heads up a Chinese Mafia faction.
And of course there are various subplots, such as Dwight’s relationship with his daughter, Tina, played by Tatianna Zappardinno,and grandchildren after being away for 20 years, as well as his sister, Joanne, played by Annabella Sciorra. And the love interest is the character of tough and gutsy ranch owner Margaret Deveroux, played by Dana Delaney, who does a smashing job in this role. I loved her as Josephine Marcus in Tombstone, and I love her in Tulsa King.
_____________________________________
About Author Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
____________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
______________________________________
This segment of “Everyone is a Critic” is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.
A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw
Share this:
Everyone is a Critic: Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead
Posted: November 11, 2024 Filed under: Crime, Everyone is a Critic, Film Review, Movie Review, Movies | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Kaye Lynne Booth, Things to Do in Denver When Your Dead, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
The 1995 crime film, Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead. It’s an older movie, but I found it quite enjoyable to sit down and watch this movie.
A cross between a mobster movie and a tragic romance, this film carries both story lines well. Ex-mobster, Jimmy, The Saint, Tosnia, played by Andy Garcia, and his buddies are drawn back into the fold unwillingly by mob boss, “The Man With The Plan”, played by Christopher Walken, after his son, Bernard, played by Michael Nicolosi, is arrested for child molestation. When the plan goes terribly wrong, it becomes a death sentence for Jimmy and his crew. They are all dead and they know it, stalked by Mr. Shhh, played by Steve Buscerni, the hitman who never fails and shows no mercy. Jimmy is allowed a reprieve if he leaves Denver, but there are a few things to take care of before he goes. Jimmy has met a girl, Dagney, played by Gabrielle Anwar, and he’s trying to win her heart, but now he must walk away to protect her.
You’ve got to love the cast of colorful characters, who are made bigger than life by the actors who play them. Jimmy is making a new life for himself, running a faltering business recording the thoughts and messages of those who are terminally ill. Jimmy’s crew are all ex-mobsters, trying to make new lives for themselves: Pieces, played by Christoper Lloyd, who runs a x-rated movie theater and spends his days with porn running in the background; Easy Wind, played by Bill Nunn, runs a boxing ring; Critical Bill, played by Treat Williams, who has some definite rage issues to work out and finds rather unique and gruesome ways to do that; and Big Bear Franchise, played by William Forsythe, has a wife and kids to worry about.
Not surprisingly, this movie was filmed in Denver, where I grew up, and the familiarity of setting definitely added to my enjoyment of this movie, making it all seem more real to me. In the photo above, the crew is at Crown Hill Cemetery, where I have relatives buried, as do many other Denverites.
This is not your typical mobster movie, and there are no happy endings. The fun lies in seeing how it all plays out, with more than a few surprises. I never knew how many things there are to do in Denver when you’re dead.
Share this:
Everyone is a Critic: Anacondas
Posted: October 31, 2024 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Film Review, Horror, Movies, Review | Tags: Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Anacondas: Trail of Blood, Everyone is a Critic, horror, Kaye Lynne Booth, Movie Review, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)
Anaconda: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid is predictable, following all the horror tropes, but it’s done well and I found it quite entertaining, with plenty of action. This movie is a stand alone sequel to the original Anaconda (1997) movie.
Bill Johnson is the boat captain, played by Johnny Messner, leading a group of scientists including Sam Rogers, played by KaDee Strickland, Dr. Jack Byron, played by Matthew Marsden, Dr. Ben Douglas, played by Nicholas Gonzalez, Intern Cole Burris, played by Eugene Byrd, and Gail Stern, played by Salli Richardson-Whitfield into the jungles of Borneo. In search the mythical black orchid, which can supposedly grant eternal life, which can only be accessed every seven years.
This film has all the elements you’d expect to find in a horror flick, including the greedy scientist who will go to any length to retrieve the precious flower, which is worth millions, who bribes the captain to take them into dangerous territory to save time. When their boat goes over a waterfall, the scientists land right in the middle of the territory where massive anacondas have been feeding on the legendary orchids for years, proving that the mythical powers of the flower are true, and they quickly find themselves fighting for their lives amoung the monstrous snakes.
I thought that surely the teeth in the enormous snakes’ mouths, were just special effects to make our monster snakes look more fierce, but nope. I looked it up and anacondas actually do have rows of razor sharp hook-like teeth, used to help secure their prey while they wrap around them before the squeeze, and also to guide the prey down the snake’s throat pushing it back. Exposing this fact elevates these snakes, in my mind, from slightly fakey special effects to truly scary monsters which our expedition members will have to be strong and cunning to overcome.
Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009)
Anacondas: Trail of Blood is the forth movie in this franchise and a sequel to the third. There wasn’t as much money thrown at this msde for television movie as there was thrown into the first two cinematic movies and it shows.
In this movie, a genetically created baby anaconda is experimented on, cut in half and injected with a serum made from the blood orchid, cultivated by a scientist, who is killed by the snake he has created in the opeining scene. The serum not only has properties of longetivity, but also those of regeneration, creating a monster snake which is almost impossible to kill. Much of the action is running through the jungle to escape the monstrous beast.
The snake, itself is more fakey looking than the monster snakes seen in previous movies in the franchise, looking to me, as if it were made of cheap plastic.
Also, I felt this movie had too many players to keep track of. We have a member of a science team, Amanda Hayes, played by Crystal Allen, who is out to stop the dastardly plan of their employer, Murdough, played by John Ryes-Davies, to harvest and create the serum for his own selfish purposes, and she aims to keep him from getting his hands on the research. It is her goal to destroy everything to do with the serum, as she sees the evil purposes the serum could be used for. She initially arrives with two cops, and a lone teen hiker joins their ranks.
Then we have a group of archelogists intent on excavating a recently discovered dig in the area and a group of mercenaries hired by Murdough to retrieve the serum and the research and eliminate Amanda. Quite frankly, the snake didn’t seem to care which group its victims were from, as a side effect of the serum is apparently an insatiable appetite and fierce aggressiveness. There are so many characters that I found it difficult to relate to any single one. Without some type of connection to make me care about these characters, I wasn’t as invested in the outcome as I might have been.
_______________________________
About Kaye Lynne Booth
_______________________________________
This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Stop by and see what we have to offer today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/
Share this:
Everyone is a Critic: The Woman in Black
Posted: October 31, 2024 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Film Review, Ghost Stories, Horror, Movies | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Ghost Stories, Gothic Horror, Kaye Lynne Booth, Movie Review, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
The 2012 film The Woman in Black is the second adaption of a 1983 novel of the same title, by Susan Hill. This gothic supernatural horror is the best recent example I have seen of a good, old-fashioned ghost story.
In 1906, Attorney Arthur Kipps, played by Daniel Radcliffe, is called to the village of Crythin Gifford to collect the papers of the deceased owner of a place called Eel Marsh House, located on the other sid eof the marsh from the village. He recieves a strange reception from the villagers, and the village attorney is downright hostile, but Arthur is deteremined to see his task through.
During his stay at Eel Marsh House, strange things happen: unusual noises, a bolted door, toys that wind up on their own, a rocking chair that rocks by itself, and a woman dressed in black out on the marsh, as he uncovers the truth of local legend of a vengeful spirit which plagues the village, preying on their children for many decades. All who see her lose a child. He finds himself on a new mission, to reunite mother and child, in order to save his own son, who is enroute to join him.
The house has a really spooky feel, set in the foggy marsh which is only accessible during certain times of day due to periodical flooding by the tide. And the lady in black gives off a truly menacing feeling, as we learn how she lures the village children to their deaths.
While formulaic, as most horror films are, this was is very well-executed to make the beats fit together seamlessly as the story unfolds. It has a good plot with just enough special effects to make it believable and draw you into the story, and a surprising ending that isn’t what you’d expect. (No spoilers here.) There are still those scenes where you feel that the character is making the stupidest choice possible, because any sane person would turn tail and run, but if the characters didn’t do dumb things, there would be no story. But they managed to tell this story without all the blood and gore, which I found refreshing. Overall, I truly enjoyed this suspenseful gothic horror story. It’s been a while since I watched a movie which kept me on the edge of my seat.
_________________________________
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, her the first three books in her kid’s book series, My Backyard Friends, her poetry collection, Small Wonders, and her writer’s resource, The D.I.Y. Author. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
______________________________
This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Stop by and see what we have to offer today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/
Share this:
Everyone is a Crtic: The Mummy (2017)
Posted: October 31, 2024 Filed under: Action/Adventure, Everyone is a Critic, Film Review, Horror, Movies, Review | Tags: Action, Everyone is a Critic, horror, Movie Review, The Mummy (2017), Writing to be Read Leave a comment
I’m always leary of remakes, especially of first movies which I really enjoyed. Such was the case with 2017 remake of The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise, Russell Crow and Annabelle Wallace. I loved the original 1999 take on this story, with Brandon Frasier and Rachel Weisz. As with any remake, it is impossible for me to judge the newer version without referring back to the original, especially if they are similar. So, let me just say right now that I didn’t find the humor of the first movie, which I enjoyed, in the 2017 remake, and although the stories are somewhat similar in that they both unearth a mummy and unleash a curse on mankind which must be stopped, the two are really nothing alike.
A cross between Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Mission Impossible, the 2017 movie is pretty much non-stop action. From tomb raiding to underwater adventures, Tom Cruise’s character, Nick Morton, doesn’t get a moments rest and the character of Jenny Hasley, played by Anabelle Wallace, is the classic damsel in distress. There are even parts where you have to question who the good guys really are, and nothing is clear cut.
What is an Egyptian princess doing buried in the middle of the Middle Eastern dessert, entombed for thousands of years? And what happens when her resting place is discovered and her slumber disturbed? The special effects are superb and the mummy, played by Sophia Boutella, is wicked. Imotep has got nothing on Princess Ahmanet as she unleashes her rage on the city of London. Apparently, Egyptian princesses awaken in a really bad mood.
The 2017 version of The Mummy is a great action movie with enough horror blended in to bring a mythological monster to life once more. I really enjoyed watching this film.
______________________________________
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
________________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can show your support with a small donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
________________________________
This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Stop by and see what we have to offer today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/
Share this:
Everyone is a Critic: Bone Tomahawk – Not for the faint of heart
Posted: September 23, 2024 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Film Review, Horror, Movies, Review | Tags: Bone Tomahawk, Everyone is a Critic, horror, Movie Review, Western, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
They classified this 2015 Craig Zahler film as western horror-two genres you don’t see cross often. Although quite graphic, Bone Tomahawk has a slow, but necessary, build-up, which ends up telling a powerful but horrific story, with Kurt Russell as a strong lead character.
I admit, I grew up knowing Russell as a child actor, portraying roles in Disney films such as The Shaggy Dog and The Computer That Wore Tennis Shoes, and still to this day, I have a hard time buying into his tough guy roles like Snake Pliskin in Escape From New York or Wyatt Earp in Tombstone. But I must say that Russell, by the end of each of those movies, had become the character in my mind, and they were all characters I had come to like. In this film he portrays the tough small town Sheriff with a strong sense of morals, adding to the impact of the story through his portrayal.
The story builds slow, with an abduction serving as the inciting incident, sending the Sheriff and his compatriots into the desolate and wild landscape of the American frontier in pursuit, determined to bring the captives back or avenge them. The Sheriff and his elderly deputy are joined by a bounty hunter and theinjured husband of the abducted woman, and they all seem like unlikely companions, making for a adequate amount of tension and inner turmoil along the way as they strive to find and face an unknown enemy. What they find is worse than their darkest imaginings.
The setting may be the western frontier, but there will be no doubt as to why Bone Tomahawk was given the horror classification. The monsters that must be battled are of the human variety, but they are horrific and brutal, none-the-less. The scenes are graphic and violent, and sure to touch a nerve.
The ending was unexpected, but I’m not providing any spoilers for this powerful movie.
For horror fans who are not squeemish, this movie tells a impactful tale that will touch you at the deepest levels of your own humanity.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
_______________________________________________
This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Stop by and see what we have to offer today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/
