Rebecca Crunden's Blog, page 51
March 28, 2021
Film Reviews: Battle (2018) & Fierce (2020)
Dance/musical competition films are such a fun subgenre that I don’t watch nearly enough. I grew up with Save the Last Dance (2001) and Honey (2003), but there was a good stretch there where I didn’t watch any. Although Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) was bloody hilarious. Break, that I reviewed a few weeks ago, reignited my love of the genre, so I marathoned a couple this week: Battle (2018) and Fierce (2020).
Fierce is a Polish film that follows a young woman who...
March 19, 2021
Show Review: New Worlds (2014)
Okay, why did no one tell me that The Devil’s Whore had a sequel miniseries? I remember loving that series so much when it first aired. Historical madness, lucious costumes, great storyline, and a cast that was so, so good: Andrea Riseborough, John Simm, Michael Fassbender, Dominic West – AMAZING. The cast of New Worlds is equally as awesome: Freya Mavor, Jamie Dornan, Jeremy Northam, Joe Dempsie – ahhhhh. So good! I’m so annoyed at myself for not finding this miniseries sooner!
For anyo...
March 13, 2021
Audiobook Review: Midnight Sun (2020)
I first read Twilight (2006) when I was thirteen. I loved it, and read all three sequels in quick succession. I was a bit hesitant to give Midnight Sun a go, however. After all, it’s the same plot as Twilight, only from Edward’s POV. (There’s also a gender-swapped version of Twilight, too. So, there’s three Twilights to choose from, really.) But then I read The Host, and I really enjoyed that, and I found out that Jake Abel (in The Host movie) was voicing Edward in the audiobook, so I decide...
Film Review: Stoker (2013)
Oh. My.
How. Compelling.
This movie. This movie. Oooooh. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I do know it was very well done. It is an enthralling blend of muted, disconnected creepy, and disturbingly compelling. It’s the rare film that holds my attention so well. I’m not sure I liked all of the twists or the ending, but it was impossible to stop watching. A very well acted, stunningly directed, superbly written, horror show.
The plot follows India Stoker after her father’s deat...
March 10, 2021
New Novel Alert: These Violent Nights
My newest novel is going to be published at the end of the month! It’s a fantasy, science-fiction, dystopia, romance, action/adventure mashup.
Synopsis:
Once upon a time, inhabitants of another world tore a hole through the universe and came to Earth. They called themselves Suriias, and rivalled humans in knowledge and skill with one great exception: they had magic.
War followed. Humanity lost. And three hundred years later, humans are on the brink of extinction.
Orphans Thorn and Thist...
March 8, 2021
Poetry Review: Emotionally Raw by Carlos Cabrera & Lovable Losers and Romantic Monsters by B.P. Learner
You guys know how much I adore poetry, and I was so fortunate to stumble across Emotionally Raw and Loveable Losers and Romantic Monsters this week! These two titles are by indie poets Leaner and Cabrera, and they deserve so much more attention than they’re getting! Man, poetry seriously does not get enough attention. Thus, allow me to shout from the rooftops POETRY IS GREAT AND THERE ARE MANY NEW POETS OUT THERE!
In Emotionally Raw, Cabrera writes straight from the heart, and you feel hi...
March 6, 2021
Film Review: Break (2018)
Why isn’t every film a break dancing Step Up tribute in French with tougher characters and amazing romantic chemistry between the leads? That’s what I found myself asking after watching Break, a French Netflix drama that is 70% break dancing, 30% high quality romantic tension. The leads are incredible dancers, it must be said. Kévin Mischel, the lead actor, is a dancer in real life. (See this YouTube video as an example.) Sabrina Ouazani, the lead actress, does a fantastic job with different...
March 5, 2021
Underrated Movies You Should Watch
Mortal Engines. I don’t understand how this film didn’t get more love, I truly don’t. I fell in love with it the moment I turned it on. It’s Peter Jackson to perfection, the actors are just wonderful, the cinematography is beautiful, and it leaves you feeling like there’s hope at the end, despite the grim setting of a world of moving cities bent on eating each other. I still need to finish reading the book (which is really different, yet is shaping up to be just as awesome) but I truly recom...
Book Reviews: The Host (2008), Roommate (2021), Skyward (2018)
I read some really fantastic books this week. I think the one that’s going to be swirling around in my head for the next couple of days is The Host, though. It made me think and feel and wonder and angst. There were a few things I wish were done a bit differently or shortened, but overall I really truly adored it. Roommate by Sarina Bowen felt like a book to read at autumn time and I devoured it. Skyward by Joe Henderson was so brilliantly coloured and detailed and had such great representat...
February 28, 2021
Indie Bites: an indie magazine currently taking submissions!
ATTENTION INDIE AUTHORS: This wonderful new magazine by Silver Sun Books is currently taking submissions for its second issue! I was so happy to have my story in the first issue and I can’t wait to see what other stories come out of this! Check it out here.
