Everyone is a Critic: My All-Time Favorites – Westerns
Posted: June 15, 2026 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review, Movies, Review, Western | Tags: A Fistful of Dollars, Everyone is a Critic, For a Few Dollars More, Movie Review, Review, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Quick and the Dead, The Unforgiven, Tombstone, Westerns, Writing to be Read, Young Guns 5 CommentsThere are some movies that I can watch over and over and never get tired of them because they are so fun to watch. I’m sure certain movies are the same for everyone, in this respect. For “Everyone is a Critic” in 2026, I’d like to talk about my all-time favorites, because if you haven’t seen them, they are worth watching, and if you have, maybe this will remind you how fun they are, and you’ll give one or two another go. I’ve categorized them by the values I find in them, or the reason that I watch them. Many of them, I have watched so many times, I can quote them word for word through many parts. (And, yes, I am old, but they really don’t make them like they used to.)
Now, here, I will share them with you in the hopes that you will get the same enjoyment I have from watching them. For those who have seen the movie, the quotes will bring certain scenes alive in their minds. And if you haven’t seen the movie and you watch it, when you see the scene, you’ll understand why I chose the quotes that I did.
Westerns – Always a Favorite of Mine (Yep. I like Clint Eastwood)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), with Clint Eastwood and Chief Dan George
Set during and after the American civil war, Eastwood plays Josey Wales, who looses his family to the Union red-legs, and joins up with Bloody Bill Cantrill with a vow to kill as many as he can in his vengeance. He becomes an outlaw after the war, when he refuses to surrender and runs from the Union troops, gathering a rag-tag following of colorful characters in the process.
This movie is quite long and there are too many great quotes to list them all here, but I’ve given you several.
I have this one in my personal movie collection.
Favorite Quotes: “I reckon in that war we all died a little.” – Fletcher (John Vernon)
“Get ready, little lady. Hell’s coming to breakfast.” – Lone Watie (Chief Dan George)
“I’m pert as a rutting buck.” -Kid (Sam Bottoms)
“Cures just about anything. How is it on spots?” -Josey Wales (Eastwood)
“You gonna pull them pistols or whistle Dixie?” – Josey Wales (Eastwood)
“Dying ain’t much of a living.” – Josey Wales (Eastwood)
“Reckon I’m right popular.” – Josey Wales (Eastwood)
“All I have is this piece of hard rock candy. But it’s not for eating, it’s just for looking at.” – Lone Watie (Chief Dan George)
“I’m glad you stopped me. I might have killed her.” – Lone Watie (Chief Dan George)
Favorite Scenes: Josey Wales meets and talks with Ten Bears, chief of the Commanche, to bargain for his friends’ lives. (I can quote the entire exchange, but it’s too long to feature here.)
The Missouri Boat Ride
Josey Wales and Lone Watie on horseback: “Any time I get to liking someone, they ain’t around for long.” – Josey Wales (Eastwood) “I notice when you get to disliking someone, they ain’t around for long neither.” -Lone Watie (Chief Dan George).
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) & For a Few Dollars More (1965), with Clint Eastwood
In A Fistful of Dollars, Eastwood plays a man with no name, a drifter who blows into town, looking for an opportunity to profit. He learns that the town has two bosses, the Rojos and the Baxters, vying for control and he positions himself between them and plays them against one another.
In For a Few Dollars More, Eastwood plays a bounty hunter named Manco, and Van Cleef plays an old war hero named Colonel Mortimer, who are both seeking the notorious outlaw, Indio, and his gang.
I watch both of these on Pluto T.V. for free.
Favorite Scenes (Fistful): The offended mule scene.
The final shootout, when Ramon thinks he’s losing his touch and the man with no name won’t die.
Favorite Quotes (Fistful): “When a man with a forty-five meets a man with a rifle, you said, ‘the man with the pistol is a dead man.’ Let’s just see if that’s true.” – Man with no name (Eastwood)
“You mean the American government on one side and the Mexicans on the other, and me in the middle? Uh, huh. Too dangerous.” – Man with no name (Eastwood)
Favorite Scene (Few Dollars): The final gun battle between Colonel Mortimer and Indio.
Favorite Quote (Few Dollars): “Two hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money. We’re going to have to earn it.” – Manco (Eastwood)
“No, old man. Thought I was having a problem with my adding. But it’s okay now.” – Manco (Eastwood)
“I generally smoke just after I eat. Why don’t you come back in about ten minutes.” – Colonel Mortimer (Van Cleef)
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966), with Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach
A civil war tale of survival and greed. This is a lengthy movie, but well worth it. There are so many great quotes, it is difficult to pick favorites. I have this one in my personal movie collection.
Favorite Quotes: “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” – Tuco Rameriz (Wallach)
“You know when I take a job, I always see it through.” Angel Eyes (Van Cleef)
“Take a swig of this, Captain. Keep your ears open.” – Blondie (Eastwood)
“Such ungratefulness. After all the times I’ve saved your life.” – Blondie (Eastwood)
“It’s good to know you’ve always got a brother who won’t deny you a bowl of soup.” – Tuco Ramirez (Wallach)
Favorite scenes: Sad Hill Cemetery (Cool Fact: Sad Hill Cemetery was built specifically for this movie. The set was just abandoned when they finished, but it was restored after fifty-five years by a dedicated group of film fans in 2015.)
Bridge Explosion (Cool Fact: They used three cameras on the first take, and the explosion blew the cameras up, so they had to reconstruct and do a second take using nine different camera angles to ensure success. No computer animation back then.)
The Unforgiven (1992), with Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman
When a bounty is posted to avenge a prostitute who is scarred for life, widowed pig farmer William Muney returns to his old killing ways to save his farm and feed his children.
An original and thought-provoking story line, accompanied by excellent acting from all players. I have this one in my personal movie collection.
Favorite Quote: “I ain’t like that anymore.” – William Munny (Eastwood)
“It’s a hell of a thing, killin’ a man. Take away all he’s got, and all he’ll ever have.” – William Munny (Eastwood)
“All right, I’m coming out. Any man I see out there, I’m gonna shoot him. Any sumbitch takes a shot at me, I’m not only gonna kill him, but I’m gonna kill his wife, all his friends, and burn his damn house down.” – William Munny (Eastwood)
“He should have armed himself if he’s gonna decorate his saloon with my friend.” – William Munny (Eastwood)
Favorite Scene: Confrontation between Munny (Eastwood) and Little Bill (Hackman).
The Quick & The Dead (1995), with Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, and Leonardo DiCaprio
This has to be Sharon Stone’s absolute best role as the strong female protagonist. A gripping storyline for her character necessitates our rooting for her to triumph. Gene Hackman plays Herod, the cruel villain through and through.
I watch this one on Pluto T.V. for free.
Favorite Quotes: “Today I am.” – The Lady (Stone)
“You need a bath.” – The Lady (Stone)
“Some people deserve to die.” – The Lady (Stone)
“The law’s come back to town.” – The Lady (Stone)
“Sorry, John. Changed the rules. From now on, all the fights are fair.” – Cort (Crowe)
“I’m so damned fast I can wake up at the crack of dawn, rob two banks, a train and a stage coach, shoot the tail feathers off a duck’s ass at 300 feet, and still be back in bed before you wake up next to me.” – The Kid (DiCaprio)
Favorite Scenes: The Lady puts the dirty old man in his place
Young Guns (1988) & Young Guns 2 (1990), with Emilio Estevez, Kieffer Sutherland, and Lou Diamond Phillips
This telling of the story of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War is brought to life by an all-star cast, in both the original movie and Young Guns 2. I have both in my personal movie collection.
There’s plenty of action and plenty of old west humor. Both are very quotable movies.
Favorite Quotes (First): “I’ll make you famous.” – Billy the Kid (Estevez)
“If we’re caught, we’re gonna hang… But there’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.” – Billy the Kid (Estevez)
“Did you see the size of that chicken?” – Dirty Steve (Dermot Mulroney)
“Many nights while you were sleeping, I could have slit your throat. Glad I didn’t kill you, Steve.” Chavez y Chavez (Phillips)
Favorite Quotes (Second): “Stop napping on the job, Bob.” – Billy the Kid (Estevez)
“Best dollar eighty I ever spent.” – Billy the Kid (Estevez)
“It’s the real lynch mob! Skin out!” – Billy the Kid (Estevez)
“I shall finish the game.” – Billy the Kid (Estevez)
“I’d rather drink turpentine and piss on a brush fire.” – Sheriff Kimball (Jerry Gardner)
“White Oaks, you can kiss my ass.” – Jane Greathouse (Jenny Wright)
“Let me tell you what you really are! You rode a 15-year-old boy straight to his grave, and the rest of us straight to hell… straight to hell! William H. Bonney! You are not a god!” Josiah ‘Doc’ Scurlock (Sutherland)
“You’ll get down below all right. You’ll get down below. You’re Billy the Kid, too, you know. You’re all Billy the Kid. Little Billy bastards.” – John Chisholm (James Colburn)
“Incumbered by idjits, I pressed on.” – Pat Garrett (William Peterson)
Tombstone (1993), with Kurt Russel, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliot, Bill Paxton and Powers Boothe
This is a telling of the events leading up the shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, October 26, 1881. The all-star cast brings the story to life, with Kurt Russell playing Wyatt Earp, and Sam Elliot and Bill Paxton playing brothers Virgil and Morgan. The notorious Doc Holliday is played by Val Kilmer and Curly Bill Brocious (Powers Boothe) and his cowboy buddies play the villains. I have this one in my personal movie collection.
Not historically correct on many aspects but entertaining none-the-less.
Favorite Scenes: The afternoon horse race & The faceoff between Doc Holliday (Kilmer) and Johnny Ringo (Michael Beihn)
Favorite Quotes: “I’m an oak.” – Wyatt Earp (Russell)
“You tell them I’m coming, and hell’s coming with me.” – Wyatt Earp (Russell)
“I’m your huckleberry.” Doc Holliday (Kilmer)
“You’re a daisy if you do.” – Doc Holliday (Kilmer)
“I’ve still got one good arm to hold you with, Ally-girl.” – Virgil Earp (Elliot)
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 book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, 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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series andWordCrafter Press.
Women in the West Adventure Series and a Digital Doubles Deal
Get books 1 & 2, Delilah & Sarah, both for one low price of $10.
June 1 – 30, 2026
2 for $10 Bundle
Book 1: Delilah & Book 2: Sarah
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Everyone is a Critic: Novocaine
Posted: May 11, 2026 Filed under: Action/Adventure, Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review, Movies, Review | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Kaye Lynne Booth, Movie Review, Novocaine, Writing to be Read 3 Comments
Novocaine (2025), with Jack Quaid
We’ve all wished we couldn’t feel pain at one time or another, most likely, when we’re in a situation that makes us scream with the pain. But that old saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for’ applies here. Just ask Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), who has lived a life of caution due to a physical condition which sort circuits his pain sensors and makes him a danger to himself at times. But when the new girl in his dreary, humdrum life as a bank manager, is taken hostage in a bank heist, Nathan uses his affliction to turn himself into a superhero, as he singlehandedly chases down the bank robbers and dispatches them one by one. To do so, Nathan must go through some very painful stuff, and although we know he can’t feel it, the scenes are so visceral, that we almost feel it for him, as he turns his fists into lethal weapons by grinding them into crushed glass, or shoves his hand into a vat of hot oil to retrieve a gun.
What an interesting premise. What would you do if you couldn’t feel pain? At first, you might think you’d do whatever you wanted with no pain to stop you. The love interest in this movie, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), states it well, forshadowing what’s to come, when she says, “Wow! You’re a superhero.” And, while battling the bad guys, Nathan seems to be unstoppable. But there’s a dark side to the absence of your body’s defense mechanisms, because pain is there for a reason. He doesn’t feel the pain and so he just keeps going, but the question Nathan must ask himself is can he find the girl and save her before he does so much damage to his body that it shuts down completely? How much abuse can one man take, and survive?
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 book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, 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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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 “Read and Cook” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
Historical Women’s Fiction
Get Your Copy Today!
Delilah: https://books2read.com/DelilahWiW1
Sarah: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West
Marta: Coming in 2026
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Everyone is a Critic: My All-Time Favorites – Humor
Posted: April 13, 2026 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Humor, Movies, Review | Tags: Dumb and Dumber, Everyone is a Critic, Idle Hands, Kaye Lynne Booth, Movie Review, Talladega Nights, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Great Outdoors, The Jerk, The Three Amigos, Writing to be Read 9 CommentsThere are some movies that I can watch over and over and never get tired of them because they are so fun to watch. I’m sure certain movies are the same for everyone, in this respect. For “Everyone is a Critic” in 2026, I’d like to talk about my all-time favorites, because if you haven’t seen them, they are worth watching, and if you have, maybe this will remind you how fun they are, and you’ll give one or two another go. I’ve categorized them by the values I find in them, or the reason that I watch them. Many of them, I have watched so many times, I can quote them word for word through many parts. (And, yes, I am old, but they really don’t make them like they used to.)
Now, here, I will share them with you in the hopes that you will get the same enjoyment I have from watching them. For those who have seen the movie, the quotes will bring certain scenes alive in their minds. And if you haven’t seen the movie and you watch it, when you see the scene, you’ll understand why I chose the quotes that I did.
Humor – Make me laugh and just be silly
The Great Outdoors (1988) with John Candy and Dan Aykroyd
Roman (Dan Aykroyd) is the uninvited guest on Chet’s (John Candy’s) family vacation. When you put these two guys together, there’s never a dull moment and the laughs never stop. This movie makes me laugh every time I watch it.
I have this one in my personal movie collection.
Favorite Quotes: “B… b…big…, big bear!” – Chet Ripley (Candy)
“S…Six…Six…Six…Sixty-s…six times!” – Reg (Britt Leach)
“Lips and ass holes.” – Roman Craig (Aykroyd)
“Let go of the rope, Dad!” – Ben Ripley (Ian Michael Giatti)
Favorite Scenes: Bat in the Cabin & Water Skiing
The Jerk (1979), with Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters
Born into a poor black family, Navin never quite fits in. So, he sets off on his own to see the world and find his special purpose.
Only Steve Martin could pull off this role, in this rags to riches comedy.
Favorite Quotes: Opening -“Huh? I am *not* a bum. I’m a jerk. I once had wealth, power, and the love of a beautiful woman. Now I only have two things: my friends, and… uh… my thermos. Huh? My story? Okay. It was never easy for me. I was born a poor black child. I remember the days, sittin’ on the porch with my family, singin’ and dancin’ down in Mississippi…” – Navin R. Johnson (Martin)
“Sir! You are talking to a nigger!” – Navin R. Johnson (Martin)
“You mean I’m going to stay this color!” – Navin R. Johnson (Martin)
“The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here! I’m somebody now!” – Navin R. Johnson (Martin)
“He hates these cans. Stay away from the cans!” – Navin R. Johnson (Martin)
“First I get my name in the phone book and now I’m on your ass. You know, I’ll bet more people see that than the phone book.” – Navin R. Johnson (Martin)
Favorite Scenes: Leaky Oil Cans & Cat Juggling & Broke and Hitting the road – “All I need is this ashtray. And that’s it.” – Navin Johnson (Martin)
The Three Amigos (1986), with Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short
Three out of work silent screen stars are invited to come to Santa Pocho, a small village in Mexico, to save the people from a terrible bandit. The three amigos, Lucky Day (Steve Martin), Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase), and Ned Nederlander (Martin Short), mistakenly believe they’re being invited to do a performance there and gladly answer the call, resulting in some hilarious situations when they come up against the real band of outlaws.
These three guys are true entertainers, all. Never get tired of this movie.
I have this one in my personal movie collection.
Favorite Quotes: “You sons of a motherless goat.” – Dusty Bottoms (Chase)
“Excuse me. We’re not Mexican.” – Lucky Day (Martin)
“It wasn’t me. It was my stuntman. But I think I remember how.” Ned Nederlander (Short)
Favorite Scenes: My Little Buttercup, & Good Night Ned, & The Singing Bush and The Invisible Horseman
Dumb And Dumber (1994), with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels
Two buddies set off a road trip to Colorado, when the woman of Lloyd’s (Carey) dreams leaves her brief case at the airport and he is determined to return it to her. Unbeknownst to him, the briefcase contains ransom money and was left on purpose.
This movie is so dumb you can’t help but laugh. I mean, how dumb can it get?
I watch this one on Pluto T.V. for free.
Favorite Quotes: “Are those your skis? …. Both of them?” – Harry Dunne (Daniels)
“Just when I think you couldn’t possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself!” – Harry Dunne (Daniels)
“Nice set of hooters you got there.” – Harry Dunne (Daniels)
“She gave me a bunch of crap about me not listening to her or something. I don’t know, I wasn’t really paying attention.” – Harry Dunne (Daniels)
“So, you’re telling me there’s a chance. Yah!” – Lloyd Christmas (Carey)
“What was all that one in a million stuff?” – Lloyd Christmas (Carey)
“That’s as good as money, sir. Those are I.O.U.s.” – Lloyd Christmas (Carey)
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), with Will Ferrell
Ricky Bobby loves to go fast, making him the ideal race car driver, but his philosophies on life are a little messed up, and all he really wants is to impress his long-lost daddy.
Another one that is so stupid, you just gotta laugh.
I watch this one on Pluto T.V for free.
Favorite Quotes: “If you’re not first, you’re last.” – Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) – (“Or…, you’re on fire?” – Me. Lol)
“I’m all jacked up on Mountain Dew!” – Texas Ranger Bobby (Greyson Russell)
“Shake and Bake.” – Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Riley)
“I was only gone three hours!” – Ricky Bobby (Ferrell)
Idle Hands (1999), with Devon Sawa, Seth Green, Elden Hensen, and Jessica Alba
This one has an original story line that naturally leads to humor. What do you do when your hand is possessed, turning you into a serial killer?
I watch this one on Pluto T.V. for free.
Favorite Quotes:
“We’re gathered here today… um… because you’re all dead.” – Anton (Sawa)
“Anton, it’s killing me to see me to see you this stressed-out man. You cut off your hand in the interest of who knows how many others.” – Mick (Green)
“Why would we go to hell? We’re not bad, we’re not exactly good or anything, but at least we don’t go around killing people!” – Pnub (Hensen)
“We need a place to kick it. Don’t be selfish, Anton! No one else’s parents are dead!” – Pnub (Hensen)
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), with Don Knotts
Don Knotts plays a bungling newspaper typesetter with aspirations to be a reporter, challenged to spend the night in the local haunted house, called ‘the murder house’, to get a story and prove himself to the whole town.
This movie may be old, but that doesn’t make it any less funny. Who can watch Don Knotts and not laugh. Not me. This is just a fun movie to watch, plain and simple.
Favorite Scenes: Finding the secret passage, and organ playing by itself
Favorite Quotes: “Atta boy, Luther!” – man in the crowd
“My whole body is a weapon” – Luther Heggs (Knotts)
“And they used Bon-Ami!” – Mrs. Cobb (Nydia Westman)
“Now you’re apt to see some pretty frightening things, but don’t panic, you’re in no real personal danger. Now you ladies of the jury, stay close together. Hold hands if you wish.” – Luther Heggs (Knotts)
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 book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, 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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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 Small Wonders and WordCrafter Press.
https://books2read.com/SmallWonders
The Rock Star & The Outlaw: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Star-Outlaw-Time-Travel-Adventure-ebook/dp/B0CJBRRCN1/
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles: Coming in May, 2025
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Everyone is a Critic: My All-Time Favorites – Chick Flicks
Posted: February 9, 2026 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review, Movies, Review, romance | Tags: Chick Flicks, Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review, Movies, romance, Writing to be Read 4 CommentsFebruary is a month for lovers, what with St. Valentine’s Day and all, so I though it would be appropriate to begin this series in 2026 with the mushy romance stuff, so here are my all-time favorite chick flicks.
Chick Flicks – I may be an old chick, but I’m still a chick (Yep. I like Patrick Swayze)
There are some movies that I can watch over and over and never get tired of them because they are so fun to watch. I’m sure certain movies are the same for everyone, in this respect. For “Everyone is a Critic” in 2026, I’d like to talk about my all-time favorites, because if you haven’t seen them, they are worth watching, and if you have, maybe this will remind you how fun they are, and you’ll give one or two another go. I’ve categorized them by the values I find in them, or the reason that I watch them. Many of them, I have watched so many times, I can quote them word for word through many parts. (And, yes, I am old, but they really don’t make them like they used to.)
Now, here, I will share them with you in the hopes that you will get the same enjoyment I have from watching them. For those who have seen the movie, the quotes will bring certain scenes alive in their minds. And if you haven’t seen the movie and you watch it, when you see the scene, you’ll understand why I chose the quotes that I did.
Dirty Dancing (1987), with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey
It was the summer of 1963, and Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman (Jennifer Grey) is spending it with her family at a Catskills resort. Bored and feeling out of place, she inadvertently discovers the underground world of dance through the resort’s entertainers. When one of the girls is unable to finish out their summer itinerary, Baby volunteers to train and take her place, putting her in direct contact and very close proximity of the lead male dance instructor, Johnny Castle (Parick Swayze).
This movie is total fantasy fulfillment for me. What I would have given when I was younger to be Jennifer Grey. This is a movie I never get tired of watching, even to this day.
Favorite Quote: “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” – Johnny Castle (Swayze)
“Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don’t go into yours; you don’t go into mine. You gotta hold the frame.” – Johnny Castle (Swayze)
“I’m scared of what I saw, I’m scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.” – Baby (Grey)
“We’re supposed to do the show in two days, you won’t show me the lifts, I’m not sure of the turns, I’m doing all this to save your ass, what I really want to do is drop you on it!” -Baby (Grey)
Favorite Scene: The final dance & the lift on the log
Ghost (1990), with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze
When banker Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is murdered, leaving his girl Molly (Demi Moore) grieving in their new loft apartment. But Sam doesn’t cross over and learns that his best friend, Carl, is behind his murder. Now he must find a way to warn Molly from beyond the grave, as Carl tries to move in on Molly.
This is another movie which I love. Of course, it helps that the male star is Patrick Swayze. I would watch it just for that reason, but it also has a original paranormal story line of a true love cut short, and the character of Oda Mea (Whoopi Goldberg), is so entertaining that both merit kudos in their own rights.
Favorite Scene: The pottery wheel scene, (of course) & the subway scene where he forces the other ghost to teach him to manipulate solid matter in his ephemeral form.
Road House (1989), with Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliot
I watch this movie strictly because of the stars. I like Sam Elliot, but I’ve always had a thing for Patrick Swayze. A young Swayze is just eye candy that I never get tired of seeing, even at my age. He really shows it off in this one, which only adds to the story line of big guy pushing the little guy and the little guy pushing back, with some pretty great fights, mixed with a romance story line and some very hot scenes with Swayze. Winner all around.
Favorite Scene: Any scene with Swayze in it.
Pretty Woman (1990), with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere
What starts as a week-long business arrangement between a billionaire Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) and a high-end hooker, Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts), turns into something more in this ultimate rags to riches romance, changing the way they both view life, and love. It’s funny and entertaining, and good for a laugh every time.
Favorite Scene: The bubble bath scene & the shopping spree
Favorite Quotes: “You and I are such similar creatures, Vivian. We both screw people for money.” – Edward Lewis (Gere)
“Do you have anything in this shop as beautiful as she is?” – Edward Lewis (Gere)
“I can do anything I want to, baby. I ain’t lost.” – Vivian Ward (Roberts)
“In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight.” – Vivian Ward (Roberts)
” Did I mention my leg is forty-four inches from hip to toe; so, basically, we are talking about eighty-eight inches of therapy wrapped around you for the bargain price of three thousand dollars.” – Vivian Ward (Roberts)
“Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.” – Vivian Ward (Roberts)
“Oh, it was so good, I almost peed my pants!” – Vivian Ward (Roberts)
Thelma and Louise (1991), with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis
Thelma (Susan Sarandon) and Louise (Geena Davis) are friends to the end in this female bromance adventure. What starts out as a weekend road trip quickly turns into an adventure from which there is no turning back after a man tries to rape Thelma, and Louise comes to her aid and shoots him.
This is a story of female empowerment in spite of its tragic ending. An endearing tale of friendship that never gets old.
Favorite Scene: Outside the bar in the parking lot where Thelma is assaulted.
Favorite Quotes: “You shoot off a guy’s head with his pants down, believe me, Texas is not the place you wanna get caught.” – Louise (Sarandon)
“You’ve always been crazy, this is just the first chance you’ve had to express yourself.” – Louise (Sarandon)
“Well, we’re not in the middle of nowhere, but we can see it from here.” – Louise (Sarandon)
“Hey Louise, better slow down, I’ll just die if we get caught over a speeding ticket.” – Thelma (Davis)
“I’m not sorry that son-of-a-bitch is dead. I’m just sorry it was you that did it and not me.” – Thelma (Davis)
“Good mornin’ ladies and gentlemen. This is a robbery. Now, if nobody loses their head, nobody will lose their head. Simon says y’all lie down on the floor, please, right away. Thank you. Ma’am, would you get down? Not you, sir. Let’s see who’ll win a prize for keepin’ their cool. Sir, will you do the honors? Take all the cash out of the drawer, put it in a paper bag.” – Thelma (Davis)
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 book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, 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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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 Time Travel Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
When a Girl with a Guitar Meets a Man with a Gun, It’s Time to Travel
The Rock Star & The Outlaw: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Star-Outlaw-Time-Travel-Adventure-ebook/dp/B0CJBRRCN1/
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles: Coming in March 2025
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Everyone is a Critic: “Red Eye”
Posted: August 11, 2025 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review, Movies, Psychological Thriller, Thriller | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Kaye Lynne Booth, Movie Review, Psychological Thriller, Red Eye, Writing to be Read 4 Comments
I stumbled upon this movie on Pluto TV and thought I’d give it a try. I don’t know what I was expecting when I chose it. At the beginning, I thought I’d picked up a romance, when the protagonist, Lisa (Rachel McAdams), meets a man, Jackson (Cillian Murphy), at the airport and they have a drink together. This impression was reinforced for me when he ends up on the same Red Eye flight and he takes the seat next to hers. My mind was quickly changed when his true intentions are revealed and it becomes obvious that this story is actually a smashing psychological thriller.
It is no coincidence that they met, or that they were on the same flight, for it turns out Jackson has been watching Lisa for quite some time, and his plans involve using her for his own dark purposes after making her his psychological hostage, threatening to do harm to someone she loves. It turns out Jackson is an international terrorist, making Lisa a vital part of his diabolical plan for a political assassination.
Both the main characters play their parts convincingly and I was easily sucked in and swept away in this gripping thriller. Directed by Wes Craven, this movie exceeds the B list in both the writing of the story and in the performance of the actors. I was pleasantly surprised by my discovery of Red Eye and if you enjoy psychological thrillers, you will, too.
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,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 post is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: Coming in October, 2025!
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Everyone is a Critic: “The Island”
Posted: April 14, 2025 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review, The Island, Writing to be Read 2 Comments
I passed up the 2005 film, The Island, many times because it created incongruencies in my mind. The title suggested to me, something along the lines of Castaway, or Robinson Caruso, or maybe Lord of the Flies, yet the cover image suggested a futuristic civilization, with nothing tropical about it. It is, in fact, a dystopian science fiction tale set in a futuristic world. Whatever you think the island in this story is, I promise you it is not.
In a world of survivors from a catastrophic event are given the hope of a paradise on the island, but only those selected in the lottery are granted the privilege of going. But we soon suspect that something is amiss when one survivor, Lincoln Six Echo (Ewen McGregor), has the intelligence to see that some things don’t quite add up, and the curiosity to question what they are being told. Just as he discovers the truth about who they all really are, and the truth about the island, his friend, Jordon Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson), is chosen in the lottery, and Lincoln is forced to race to prevent her from going and escape with the knowledge he has discovered.
The rest of the movie takes on the pace of an action thriller as the powers that be try to recover them before they can tell the world what they know. And the action is really pretty good. The story was engaging and entertaining holding my interest all the way to the quite satisfying ending. I was glad that I finally decided to give it a try.
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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,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 post is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: Coming in October, 2025!
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Everyone is a Critic: “Tale of Tales”
Posted: March 10, 2025 Filed under: Dark Fantasy, Everyone is a Critic, Fantasy, Film Review, Horror, Movie Review, Movies | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Fairytales, Movie Review, Tale of Tales, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
Three kingdoms. Three horrific tales, braided into one tragically horrendous fairytale in the classic tradition, Tale of Tales is a skillfully crafted triple fairytale. Fairytales were used to frighten children into behaving themselves in days of past. They are supposed to strike fear in readers, or in this case, viewers, so the element of horror is no surprise here. Everyone knows fairytales are tales of tragedy and don’t always have a happy ending. Even when they do have a HEA, the characters must face gruesomely frightening trials to reach that point.
A King (John C. Riley) and Queen (Selma Hayak) of the kingdom of Longtrellis are barren and will stop at nothing to have a son. The Queen summons a necromancer to make her wish come true. Upon his instruction, the King slays the sea monster, but loses his life. None-the-less, she eats the sea monster’s heart and bears a son, Elias Christian Lees, with alabaster skin and hair. At the same time as the cook bears a son, Jonah (Jonah Lees), who looks enough like Elias to be his identical twin, and the two boys grow up to become fast friends who are inseparable. Enraged after the boys fool her, the Queen sends the cook and her son away, but the boys’ bond is stronger, and when her son, Elias, fears his friend is in trouble, he runs away to go to his aid. Desperate for the return of Elias, the Queen summons the necromancer once more. She will have her son back, but at what price?
The King of the kingdom of Strongcliff (Vincent Cassell) becomes lustful when he hears a beautiful voice and must have the singer as his wife. But the singer is one of two sisters, aged spinsters, Imma (Shirley Henderson) and Dora (Haley Carmichael), who fool the King and he unwittingly takes Dora to his bed under her insistence that it be in complete darkness. Enraged upon waking and discovering her true appearance, the King has his guards throw her from the cliffside castle window, but Dora survives and is found by a witch who suckles her, giving her back her youth. The King and his hunting party found the beautiful young woman (Stacy Martin) laying on the forest floor and he falls in love and makes Dora his Queen. But Imma is lonely and longs to have her sister back with her, threatening to reveal Dora’s secret. Dora turns Imma away, leaving her alone to suffer a tragic end.
The King of the kingdom of Highhills (Toby Jones) becomes fascinated with a flea and makes it a pet that grows to gargantuan proportions. When his daughter, Violet (Bebe Cave), wishes to be married, he develops a plan to make her happy without risking losing her by placing the fleas hide on his wall and promising her hand to any suiter who can guess the creature that it came from. But it leads to the loss of his daughter when an ogre (Guillaume Delaunay) guesses correctly by smell, and he is forced to give Violet to the ogre, who takes her to his cave in the side of a high cliff. She’s recued by a family of acrobats, but the ogre slays them all and Violet fools the ogre and slits his throat. She returns to the kingdom, to find her father ill, and presents him with the head of the husband that he chose for her.
Official Clip: https://images.app.goo.gl/pAFnUmGSwCHFgcXo6
The three kingdoms and their tales are brought together at Violet’s coronation, where representing Longtrellis, Elias is in attendance, as well as the King of Strongcliff and his new Queen. But the witch’s magic wears off and Dora loses her youthful appearance and sneaks away unnoticed.
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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.
_______________________________
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 Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
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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.
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
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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/
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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.
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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/
Everyone is Critic: “The Faculty”
Posted: October 13, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Commentary, Horror, Movie Review, Movies, Review | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, horror, Movie Review, The Faculty, Writing to be Read | 2 CommentsThe Faculty is a 1998 science fiction/horror movie which I somehow missed until now. Reminiscent of horror classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the faculty and most of the student body at Herrington High School are being taken over by aliens, and it’s nearly impossible to tell who is still human. One group of industrious, survival-minded students has figured out what is happening, how to detect the aliens, and how to destroy them. Now they just have to find the head alien and destroy it before the whole school, and then the town, is taken over.
Although, not an original plot, it is fashioned after a classic. At least the aliens didn’t scream at each other whenever a human was detected. When the queen alien is revealed, I have to say I saw it coming, but they placed enough red herrings, so that I couldn’t be one hundred percent certain until the truth is unveiled.
The special effects seem a bit primitive in this dawning age of technology, but for 1998, they’ve got a pretty cool queen alien monster. While some things, such as the method of beating the aliens, seemed a bit too convenient, horror movies, in general, are pretty formulaic, so perhaps that’s to be expected. At any rate, it held my attention, and I had to see how things turned out, which is basically the point, right?
The Faculty is everything a horror movie should be, using the aliens to keep our heroes boxed in, misdirection to keep viewers guessing, and plenty of tension to keep our attention. What more could you want from a horror movie?
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 book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, 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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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 Time Travel Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
When a Girl with a Guitar Meets a Man with a Gun, It’s Time to Travel
The Rock Star & The Outlaw: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Star-Outlaw-Time-Travel-Adventure-ebook/dp/B0CJBRRCN1/
The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles: Coming in 2026
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