C.A. Milson's Blog, page 235
November 9, 2014
Slingshot – Marc Douglas
Slingshot
by Marc Douglas
Blurb: Slingshot is an adventure set in the future. Issues today (environment damage, shrinking resources, inept politicians, bizarre dictators, religious fanatics and economic chaos) are projected into an era when Earth will no longer support our bludgeoning population. A sister planet is found, a method to travel is discovered (the Slngshot Principle) and two of our first long range missions crash and are marooned on an alien planet. Not quite the start they envisioned but a clean slate and new beginning regardless. A story of courage, passion, faith and fortitude.
Available on GooglePlay, Kindle, Amazon.com, and all book e-retailers.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Author, dystopian, fiction writer, Marc Douglas, Sci-Fi Novel, Slingshot, Writer
November 8, 2014
BlindSight – Marc Douglas
BlindSight
by Marc Douglas
Blurb: A young married couple takes a vacation in a remote area. They stop in an isolated pub and become the obsession of a wanna-be biker gang. A thrilling page turner with twists and turns. Inspired by Dean Koontz .
Available on GooglePlay, Kindle, Amazon.com, and all good e-retailers.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Author, BlindSight, GoogleBooks, GooglePlay, Marc Douglas, suspense novel, Thriller Novel, Writer, Writing
November 7, 2014
Dawn Of The Planet of The Apes (2014) – Movie Review
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014)
Stars: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke
IMDB Rating: 8.0
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Plot: Ten years after a pandemic disease, apes who have survived it are drawn into battle with a group of human survivors.
Review: Primates are once again going ape-shit in this sequel to Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. In this interesting installment, the film begins ten years after a virus has wiped out all but a handful of humans.
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is the story of Caesar and the strive for freedom of all that captures this movie’s true essence. Empathizing with these intelligent beings no longer being the tools of humans is one to both support and fear. It is this unique mixture of elements that make Dawn of the Planet of the Apes stimulating.
In this installment, Caesar heads a community of apes that live, breed, and survive very well in the forest, outside of San Fran. While they are living their idealistic life of peace and harmony, a group of humans (who live in what is left of San Fran), are running out of water, food, and power. The only hope they have is to restore the old generator at the dam. It is the mission of Malcolm (Jason Clarke), and his small band of mercs, to restore the power at all costs.
Of course, since getting to the dam means encountering Caesar and his hive, you can bet that there will not be a lack of conflict, as Caesar is torn between his loyalties to his own species and humans. Add to this, one of his own kind, Koba (Toby Kebbell), wants nothing to do with humans (due to the horrendous experiments he remembered all too well), and from his POV, any ape that sympathizes with humans are traitors to their own species.
Brilliant performances by the lead cast, Gary Oldman, Andy Serkis, Kerri Russell and Jason Clarke.
Action sequences there is no lack of. The development of Caesar in this installment is better than the previous, and the CGI sequences are definitely a treat to watch.
Dawn Of The Planet of The Apes is one film of 2014 that you must watch.
Verdict: Primates Go Ape-Shit
My Rating: 8 out of 10
Filed under: Movie Reviews Tagged: Andy Serkis, ape-shit, Caesar love humans more than apes!, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, film, Film Review, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, movie critic, Movie Review, pandemic, Planet of the Apes (1974), Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Toby Kebbell, virus
November 6, 2014
The Julius Romeros Extravaganza, Part One: The Bearded Girl – Hayley Lawson-Smith
The Julius Romeros Extravaganza, Part 1
The Bearded Girl
by Hayley Lawson-Smith
Blurb: Abigail has been born into a wealthy, upper-class family. Good breeding is essential to her upbringing. But Abigail has been born with a beard and the prudish housekeeper, Mrs Hiffeltrimp, along with her stuffy butler husband, aim to veil this whiskery problem from the rest of the world. While Abigail’s mother hides herself in an expensive health spa and the master of the house is away at war, Mrs Hiffeltrimp will go to any lengths to be rid of the offending whiskers. Even if it means being rid of the little girl from whose chin they sprout.
Available on GooglePlay, Kindle, Amazon.com, and all e-retailers.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Author, GoogleBooks, GooglePlay, Hayley Lawson-Smith, Novel, The Bearded Girl, The Julius Romeros Extravaganza, Writer, Writing, young adult author, Young Adult Fiction
November 5, 2014
Left Behind (2014) – Movie Review
Left Behind (2014)
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Lea Thompson, Cassi Thomson
IMDB Rating:
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Plot: A small group of survivors are left behind after millions of people suddenly vanish and the world is plunged into chaos and destruction.
Review: While some movies touch on the subject of the rapture, and even fewer explore Biblical themed movies, there are those “bible inspired” movies which I would recommend, and those that I would personally like to see destroyed and erased from existence.
Left Behind is a film that we both enjoyed, and actually had Anna asking me questions about the Rapture. While the exact account of the rapture is not clearly evident in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
Left Behind tells the story of a small group of survivors who are left behind after millions of people suddenly vanish and the world is plunged into chaos and destruction.
Nicolas Cage plays Rayford Stelle. He is airplane pilot for a major commercial airline, married to Irene (Lea Thompson), who is a devout born again Christian. During a routine flight from NY to London, a handful of people onboard the flight suddenly vanish, along with one of the air-hostesses and his co-pilot. Not knowing what has happened, he races against his own inner demons and time to make sense of the chaos and to keep the passengers and remaining crew sane.
It didn’t long before Ray finds out that not only did some of his passengers vanish without a trace, but the same has happened all over the world. Millions of people have vanished, and it soon starts to dawn on him that it wasn’t an alien abduction, but the rapture his wife had been telling him about.
Wondering why he had been left behind soon comes to light, as he had been having an ongoing affair with the air-hostess (played by Nicky Whelan).
Cassi Thomson plays the role of Ray’s wayward daughter, Chloe, who also must comes to terms with what happened.
Left Behind has been slammed by some, and praised by others. That being said, if you put the religious aspect aside when you watch it, what you have is a film that tells the story of one family,from their POV, struggling to make sense of a world gone to chaos, and fighting their own inner demons and moralities.
Even though the film ended with Ray landing the plane safely back to NY, I did feel that more of this needed to be explored, and I am sure that the directors will continue on with the series in due time.
The acting centered mostly on Cage, and that is fine as he is a good actor in his own right. The SPX scenes were great. But it did need an element more to this film, apart from the ending we saw.
I would recommend this to anyone who can put religion aside and watch it for what it is.
Verdict: Apocalypse Without The Zombies…
My Rating: 8 out of 10.
Filed under: Movie Reviews Tagged: 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Apocalypse, Cassi Thomson, film, Film Review, Lea Thompson, Left Behind (2014), Movie, Movie Review, Nicky Whelan, Nicolas Cage, Rapture, Rayford Stelle, the rapture
November 4, 2014
The Red Legion – Max Davine
The Red Legion
by Max Davine
Blurb: Prohibition is over, closing the lid on half the crime in New York. Wall Street has crashed, opening it up for a whole new breed of criminal to roam the city streets…not that it’s Ineke Valence’s problem anymore. She has long since hung up her revolver, replacing it with a soda bottle, her red scarf with a barmaid’s threads. That is until her old nemesis from the force Sergeant Fielding decides to make it her problem, framing her for a murder and then setting her up to fall hard. Valence moves quickly to bust the case, but when an old associate from her days as a Bandita down in Mexico resurfaces bringing omens of ill for her, and then someone makes the fatal mistake of kidnapping her daughter Elysia. Valence heads to Mexico to retrieve her, the line between Ineke and Angel never so stretched, never so close herself to becoming what she has always feared.
Available on GooglePlay, Kindle, Amazon.com, and all good book e-retailers.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Author, book trailer, Google, GooglePlay, Max Davine, Novel, suspense novel, The Red Legion, Writer
November 3, 2014
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) – Movie Review
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)
Stars: Addison Timlin, Veronica Cartwright, Anthony Anderson
IMDB Rating: 5.7
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Plot: 65 years after a masked serial killer terrorized the small town of Texarkana, the so-called ‘moonlight murders’ begin again. Is it a copycat or something even more sinister? A lonely high school girl, with dark secrets of her own, may be the key to catching him.
Review: Based on the true serial killings known as the Texarkana Moonlight Murders of 1946, The Town that Dreaded Sundown (2014) is the screen adaptation of the real murders told by 1976’s horror film The Town that Dreaded Sundown.
Addison Timlin plays Jami. She and her date decide to leave the drive in movie and venture off for more privacy, when they are brutally attacked by the same suspected killer that plagued the town in the 40’s. When it is evident a serial killer is once again threatening the people of Texarkana the Texas Rangers once again join the search for the identity of the perpetrator.
But will they find their killer before he hunts them all down?
Without going into details, I will only say that things are not as they seem, as this copy-cat killer hunts down his prey one by one.
Despite there being quite a number if similarities to the Scream movie franchise, this was a movie I did find compelling and will leave you wondering til the final reveal who the Slasher really is. Suspenseful and riveting.
Verdict: He slices, he dices…
My Rating: 5 out of 10
Filed under: Movie Reviews Tagged: Addison Timlin, Anthony Anderson, Texarkana Moonlight Murders of 1946, The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014), Veronica Cartwright
November 2, 2014
The Alphabet Gang – Tara Mitchell
The Alphabet Gang
by Tara Mitchell
Blurb: The Alphabet Gang is a prequel to Annabelle’s Kingdom. It tells the story of young Annabelle, her family, friends and one very influential woman, Mrs. Hobbs. Throughout the story Annabelle is faced challenges and sadness. She discovers that tomorrow can be a better day through the love and support of her young friends and Mrs. Hobbs. She also finds the strength to help her father embrace life and give them both a chance at happiness.
Available on GooglePlay, Kindle, Amazon.com and all book e-retailers.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Authors, GoogleBooks, GooglePlay, new book release, Tara Mitchell, The Alphabet gang, Writers, Writing, young adult author
November 1, 2014
Hercules (2014) – Movie Review
Hercules (2014)
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Ian McShane
IMDB Rating:
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Plot: Fourteen hundred years BCE, a tormented soul walked the earth that was neither man nor god. Hercules was the powerful son of the god king Zeus, for this he received nothing but suffering his entire life. After twelve arduous labours and the loss of his family, this dark, world-weary soul turned his back on the gods finding his only solace in bloody battle. Over the years he warmed to the company of six similar souls, their only bond being their love of fighting and presence of death. These men and women never question where they go to fight or why or whom, just how much they will be paid. Now the King of Thrace has hired these mercenaries to train his men to become the greatest army of all time. It is time for this bunch of lost souls to finally have their eyes opened to how far they have fallen when they must train an army to become as ruthless and blood thirsty as their reputation has become.
Review: Hercules – The name in itself should inspire greatness, strength, integrity. A story of one person who overcomes the barrage of challenges set before him and comes out the victor.
Over the decades, there have been many films and TV shows based on the legend of Hercules, and this film certainly does not disappoint.
The film opens with the story of Hercules and the twelve labours. We see him battle the Lernaean Hydra, slay the Erymanthian Boar, and kill the Nemean Lion with bare hands. Just when you think this flick is all about Dwayne Johnson, it’s revealed that the narrator is the nephew of Hercules, exaggerating the story of his uncle, trying to convince a bunch of pirates not to execute him by putting a stake through his arse.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as Hercules. Son of Zeus. One man whose legend precedes him. In this film (like the others he has been in), Dwayne once again shows that he is a Hollywood heavyweight, and brings the story of Hercules to life in this adaptation of the Greco-Roman myth.
John Hurt stars as Lord Cotys. The megalomaniac (in secret) king who puts on the face of peace, and hides his true master plan.. World Domination! He is driven by lust and power, and while making it seem as though factions are uprising against his kingdom, it is obvious that he is behind the entire plan to conquer – what was then – the known world.
Along for the ride in this epic film are his band of Mercenaries.
Rufus Sewell plays Autolycas. The self-proclaimed “king of thieves” and Hercules best friend since they were knee-high to a Minotaur.
Ingrid Bolso Berdal plays Atalanta. A huntress who’s as good with a bow, as she is with a sword.
With the line up of names such as Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt and Joseph Fiennes, this is a movie that you need to sit down and watch as the legend continues :)
To say anything more will give the game away, but I will say this: There is plenty of action for everyone.
Verdict: Hercules… The Legend Continues…
My Rating: 8 out of 10
Filed under: Movie Reviews Tagged: Dwayne Johnson, Film Review, Hercules (2014), Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, John Hurt, Joseph Fiennes, Movie Review, Rufus Sewell
October 31, 2014
Disaster L.A (2014) – Movie Review
Disaster L.A. (2014) (The Last Zombie Apocalypse Begins Here)
Stars: Justin Ray, Jerod Meagher, Stefanie Estes, Ron Hanks, Michael Taber, Dennis Leech
IMDB Rating: 3.8
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Plot: After a meteor shower strikes Los Angeles, toxic smoke is released across the city causing people to physically change and become violent. A small group of survivors plans to vacate the city by heading to the coast.
Review: Disaster L.A. follows a group of friends who have just celebrated their first year living in Los Angeles. The mood quickly changes when on the following day, a group of glacial meteors strike the city causing chaos and panic to spread. Unbeknown to them, the smoke that covers the city carries a foreign amoeba that causes people to turn into zombies.
Another zombie flick for the taking. There is alot wrong with this film that I don’t even know where to start. In a city of millions, there is, at best, a dozen zombies. the SPX was poorly done
I really cannot say much for this film, and to be brutally honest, the film was dry, dull and boring that about an hour in, I skipped o the end to see how it ended….. Which was not much.
This film could have been done much better.
Verdict: Watch Z-nation instead.
My Rating: 1 out of 10
Filed under: Movie Reviews Tagged: Dennis Leech, Disaster L.A. (2014), Jerod Meagher, Justin Ray, low budget film, Michael Taber, Movie Review, Ron Hanks, Stefanie Estes, The Last Zombie Apocalypse Begins Here, Zombies 
