The Rage in Placid Lake (2003)

The Rage in Placid Lake (2003)
Director: Tony McNamara
Writer: Tony McNamara
Stars: Jordan Brooking, Ben Lee and Rose Byrne

Precocious, bohemian teenager Placid Lake, finishes high school and decides to do the one thing that will annoy his new age parents the most- go straight! With a few weeks spent reading a library of self-help manuals, Placid has it all sorted out- and he has the haircut and the cheap suit to prove it. Can Placid Lake retire his rage in the pursuit of beige; embrace conformity and leap on the fast track to corporate success? Will his 'brainiac' friend Gemma be able to talk him out of this economic rationalist madness? And will poor Doug and Sylvia survive the ignominy of having a son with a burgeoning future in insurance? Never underestimate the evil of banality!

My Rating: 3 of 5 "Liked It"

This movie is a twist on the usual rebellious teenager film. I found the characters entertaining and sympathetic, and I got a lot of good laughs out of it. If you're looking for something quirky and funny, with a hint of a dark edge to it, check this movie out.

Dollhouse: Epitaphs

Dollhouse: Epitaphs
by Andrew Chambliss, Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, and Cliff Richards

Joss Whedon's Dollhouse continues, written by television-series mainstays Andrew Chambliss (the CW's Vampire Diaries, co-writer of Buffy Season 9), Maurissa Tancharoen (Spartacus), and Jed Whedon (Dr. Horrible.) The Rossum Corporation's Dollhouse technology has gone viral with a synchronized phone call that wiped the minds of everyone it reached, turning them into mindless killers. Those who avoided the call - including show favorites Echo, Alpha, Mag, Zone, and Griff - must try to survive in the sudden apocalypse and be wary of Rossum's expansive technological reach. This is only the beginning.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

Dollhouse: Epitaphs is the first book of a series that is a must have for all Dollhouse fans. The comic retains many aspects of the show that I enjoyed most: the mood, the characters, and the psychological thrills.

The comics take the opportunity to explore characters besides Echo, who we already know so much about. Instead we follow primarily the story of Alpha and a 13-year-old boy named Trevor who gets wrapped up in the adventure. The comics explain several things about the ending of the television series that the show didn't have time to delve into, and I'm certain that future books will explore more of Joss Whedon's world that we didn't get to dive into during the show.

I'm really excited for the comic series. Besides the story, the art is really good, with most panels capturing the actors' likenesses well. The first volume also comes with the cover gallery at the back so that you don't miss out on any of the other beautiful cover pages you might not get with the mini-issues. I felt a little bit twitchy at first about paying 18.00 USD for a comic book, but I think it was worth it in the end. I look forward to more!

YESSS Three books arrived!!!

Yes! Three books arrived on the same day today! These are the first of the First Reads from Goodreads that I've finally got!

Today I received:

• When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison
• Stolen Prey by John Sandford
• This is How: Help for the Self- Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decrepitude, and MORE for for Young and Old Alike by Augusten Burroughs

 Haha, I don't know how much on that last list I suffer from, but I love to read self-help books~

Anyway, it's quite obvious what I'll be doing over the weekend! I've got to finish up The Three Musketeers first, and then it's on to First Reads!

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
by Stieg Larsson

Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is an awesome wrap up to an awesome trilogy. Stieg Larsson's stories may be dense with detail and back story, but it all seems well worth it when the series comes to a satisfying conclusion. I'm not normally into stories of intrigue and politics, but Larsson's compelling characters and intricate plot (peppered with bits of action the silver screen will love) kept me going to the very end!

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley

Far in the future, the World Controllers have finally created the ideal society. In laboratories worldwide, genetic science has brought the human race to perfection. From the Alpha-Plus mandarin class to the Epsilon-Minus Semi-Morons, designed to perform menial tasks, man is bred and educated to be blissfully content with his pre-destined role.

Rating: 3/5

My opinion on Brave New World keeps fluctuating between liking it, disliking it, and being outright confused by it. I really loved some of the concepts, but several sections felt too disconnected or unrelated for me to really say I enjoyed it. Likely I'll just have to spend more time thinking about this one before I can formulate a complete opinion.

It DOES make me want to write dystopian fiction, though...

What Dreams May Come (1998)

What Dreams May Come (1998)
Director: Vincent Ward
Writers: Richard Matheson (novel), Ronald Bass (screenplay)
Stars: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Annabella Sciorra

Chris Neilson dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife. 

My Rating: 2 of 5 "It Was Okay"

Well, if you're in the mood for something depressing, this is the movie for you. My initial interest in this movie was the art side as opposed to the story (though the story was really good.) There's several scenes in this movie that take place inside a painting, so it's fun to see how they visualized the characters' interaction with a slippery, colorful world.

I feel like so much was crammed in this movie, that it would have been better if, maybe, it was a television series. I haven't read the novel, so I don't know how much was changed, but I imagine the novel delves much deeper into the different aspects of Chris's worlds and the characters within.

I dunno if I would have chosen Robin Williams as the actor for this movie. I'd have to think pretty hard on who I would cast in his place, but in general I find it hard to take Robin Williams serious. He's just so good at being funny and smart that when I see him in an epic role, I feel distracted. Anyone else like that- perhaps even with different stars?

Have a WIP

Work in Progress, obviously. I'm trying to figure if I want to finish it or not, so I guess this could potentially be called "Work No Longer in Progress." These two are actually two different people inside the same body. Cylas and Adam are stuck together whether they like it or not- it's a long story. I won't get into it here. Anyway, if you look close enough, they're actually the same person with aesthetic changes. If Adam ever gets full control of the body, he plans to cut his hair, grow a little facial hair, dress like a rebel, and work out a bit. Adam's fashion sense is essentially: "Would Cylas wear this? No? I love it!"