Colleen Houck's Blog, page 42
August 21, 2014
Movie Review Double Feature: Hercules & Guardians of the Galaxy
I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)
Colleen’s Movie Review
Romance: There were allusions to romance through visions of Hercules’ dead family. There was nothing to swoon over though. And, let’s just say, there’s no way on this planet the woman who portrayed Hercules’ wife, who we got a very good look at by the way, had three babies. No. Way. I do like the nod to Disney with them calling her Megara.
Special Effects: I was really going into this film hoping to see Hercules battling cool CGI monsters like they showed in the previews. Sadly, those were just visions of things he’d already done and we only got to see him fighting pretty much regular battles. Best special effects in this one were the fake abs on his armor.
What I Liked: Dwayne Johnson is just fun to watch. I liked him with the little kids. His sidekicks were fun and interesting. Too bad we didn’t get to see more of them in action together.
What I’d Change: This film didn’t know what it wanted to be. It didn’t have enough action for a an action movie and it didn’t have enough character development for it to be a relationship movie. There wasn’t much in it for me to root for. I would have loved to see the backstory on how the entourage of Hercules came to be. That was the real story and would have been much more interesting.
The Tagline:
Before he was a legend, he was a man.
Actually he was a man with a made up legend who ended up being a man that fulfilled the legend though we never figured out how or why.
Hunky Hero:
I am actually a big fan of Dwayne Johnson. There’s something charming about him and he has more depth than he is often given credit for. He’s smart and he’s willing to take risks and make fun of himself. That’s very hunky in my opinion.
The Villain:
There were two and they were memorable but not in a good way. Joseph Fiennes the actor on the left came off as a jealous wimp incapable of doing anything dastardly himself (he always had to manipulate others into doing it). Not sure how a guy like him ended up being a king anyway. And then there was John Hurt who couldn’t make the transition from helpless and impotent to deadly and frightening. He just seemed crazy and I didn’t understand why a woman as clearly capable as his daughter was listened to anything he had to say. He didn’t wear power well.
Best Line: Hercules: You want forgiveness? Ask my family for forgiveness.
Best Scene: Probably the battle where Hercules and his friends rained down terror on an entire army by themselves and had fun while doing it.
Recommended for YA Fans: You wouldn’t miss much by skipping it but if you’re into Hercules then…
Compared to the Book: I’m gonna go ahead and let you know there’s very little mythology going on in this movie. There are brief scenes where you hope you get to see something but it never actually materializes. This movie didn’t add to the story or the legend of Hercules at all.
Trailer:
Grandma’s Review:
Grandma’s Bio: My name is Kathleen and I’m Colleen’s mom. I’m a mother of seven and grandmother of eighteen. They’re all great. None of my kids are duds-you know, like the popcorn kernels that don’t pop. My father taught me to love science fiction and mysteries. I’m a dreamer whose secret wish was to be an actress and sing and dance on stage. I have lots of things I still want to do. A few of my favorite things include-discovering new restaurants, going to movies, traveling, seeing plays, children, my dogs, Elvis, reading books, The Beach Boys, and Rhett Butler because he doesn’t give a damn AND he can carry Scarlett up the stairs.
Definition of Kicky-providing a kick or thrill, exciting
Review: HERCULES 2014 WAS NOT JUST A REPEAT OF OTHER HERCULES MOVIES.
It was a fresh new story with believable characters. Hercules was haunted by a sin from his past so he became a mercenary. With five faithful companions, he travels Greece selling his services for gold and using his legendary reputation to intimidate enemies. When the King of Thrace and his daughter seek Hercules’s help to defeat a savage warlord Hercules agrees to aid them. In so doing he finds he must become the hero he once was. As it turns out, the King is actually the real villain. He wants to rule the world and be all powerful. He is even willing to betray his own daughter and grandson to achieve his goals. Hercules really looks the part. He is so buff that it does not take much imagination to believe he can actually do the impossible tasks he does. The special effects were phenomenal. I give this movie a 9 out of 10 kicks.
A Guy’s Perspective
Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.
Review:
Yet Another Hercules Flick?
After the first Hercules flick earlier this year, I was adamant against seeing a second take on the demi-God, even if Dwayne Johnson played the title role. But my wife persuaded me to attend, and it turns out, it wasn’t as half-bad as expected. A twist on Hercules’ legendary feats was a pleasant surprise and I laughed out loud at some clever moments.
The director expects that most of us already know the 12 feats of Hercules, so he speeds through these events through the opening credits and within the first minute afterwards, then quickly brings us to the desperation of a king fearing an oncoming army that will easily dismantle his army and kingdom. They request the help of Hercules and his merry band of followers. Some rather expected twists occur, but we witness the strength and might of Hercules that brings the movie to a somewhat satisfying conclusion.
Unlike the first Herc flick, the special effects starred in this feature, bringing convincing-looking mythical creatures to life. I enjoyed the battle scenes and the audience was treated to lessons in war strategy. The dialogue was crisp, interlaced with witty banter, and the acting was decent enough that it didn’t distract. Even Johnson was adequate in his role, but his prominent physique and power was clearly displayed with great effect. No Viewer should expect to take this film seriously and just kick up their feet and enjoy. I do have one quibble however—the unnecessary and mild profanity in the screenplay brought the film down a notch for me because it was so out of place in the mythological world.
I would give this film 7.5 Herc Smash Fists.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Romance: Well there were some sparks between Star Lord and Gamora but it didn’t get a chance to progress at all. Though there was a very nice almost kiss and a healthy dose of tension. The humor got in the way a bit too much.
Special Effects: Wow! Loved it. From the wildly creative ships that linked together to make a barrier to the cool stuff in the Collector’s stash to the ship and the prison, it was cool. So many awesome ideas. I was completely sucked in and the effects really added to the film. The tree guy was awesome and I loved everything he could do.
What I Liked: Pretty much everything. Which was surprising because I didn’t think I’d like this at all. I rolled my eyes when I saw a tree and a raccoon for characters but they were the most interesting two personalities I think. Loved learning about all of the characters and how they came together and figured out how to be reluctant heroes.
What I’d Change: Not sure the bad guy had enough time to really feel bad. The one who got away, Thanos, we know nothing about and the other one was just a caricature of a villain more than an actual monster of any kind. I thought Gamora’s sister had more to offer as a villain. Other than that it was awesome! Loved the music. Loved the characters. Loved the creativity of the world. Though I liked Groot I thought it was pretty much a waste of money to hire Vin Diesel to say, “I am Groot” 100 times. Still, guy’s gotta work.
The Tagline:
You’re Welcome
All heroes start somewhere.
When things get bad, they’ll do their worst.
From the studio that brought you “The Avengers”
Not sure any of these really sum it up. Maybe the third one that starts, “When Things Get Bad…” though I still think they could have come up with something better.
Hunky Hero:
Chris Pratt did a really good job. He reminds me of a young and stupid Han Solo. If I had a choice I’d rather kiss Han Solo even at his current age. Had a hard time respecting this guy though that didn’t seem to give pause to the women of various species he entertained during the film.
The Villain: Like I said before, I don’t think the villains were fleshed out enough in the film with the exception of Michael Rooker. Loved him on The Walking Dead and really, really liked him here. He just commands attention on screen.
I was actually more interested in Nebula and Korath than Ronan and Thanos.
Best Line:
Gamora: I’m a warrior, an assassin. I don’t dance.
Peter Quill: Really? Well, on my planet, we have a legend about people like you. It’s called Footloose. And in it, a great hero, named Kevin Bacon, teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that, dancing, well, is the greatest thing there is.
Gamora: …Who put the sticks up their butts?
Also pretty much anything the raccoon says.
Best Scene: There were a lot of good ones. I guess I’ll go with the jailbreak.
Recommended for YA Fans: Yes.
Compared to the Book: I’ve never read the comic so I don’t feel like I can say but the movie actually makes me want to read the comic which is a pretty rare thing for me.
Trailer:
Grandma’s Review:
Grandma’s Bio: My name is Kathleen and I’m Colleen’s mom. I’m a mother of seven and grandmother of eighteen. They’re all great. None of my kids are duds-you know, like the popcorn kernels that don’t pop. My father taught me to love science fiction and mysteries. I’m a dreamer whose secret wish was to be an actress and sing and dance on stage. I have lots of things I still want to do. A few of my favorite things include-discovering new restaurants, going to movies, traveling, seeing plays, children, my dogs, Elvis, reading books, The Beach Boys, and Rhett Butler because he doesn’t give a damn AND he can carry Scarlett up the stairs.
Definition of Kicky-providing a kick or thrill, exciting
Review: “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a terrific Sci-Fi adventure comedy most will enjoy.
The main character Peter Quill “Star Lord” (played by Chris Pratt) finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by the villain Ronan. Ronan’s ambition threatens to destroy the universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an unlikely alliance with four unique misfits. You have Zoe Saldana who plays the female heroine “Gamora,” Dave Batista who plays “Drax” the Destroyer, Vin Diesel who plays “Groot” the humanoid tree, and last but not least you have “Rocket” the gun toting raccoon. What was there not to like about this Marvel movie? We had tons of funny ridiculous situations and vintage pop tunes even to be entertained by. Quill, who reminds me of a young Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones, was very charming and believable. The acting was good but probably didn’t even have to be. The loyalty and sacrifice of Quill’s team was heart warming. When Groot sacrificed himself to save his friends I nearly cried. I wish there were lots more fun movies out there like this one to take your family to and enjoy together. I give this movie 8 out of 10 kicks. Very fun flick!
A Guy’s Perspective
Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.
Review:
Another Marvelous Marvel Film
I was actually looking forward to Guardians of the Galaxy, despite not knowing a thing about them, simply because it was a Marvel Comics film. Nearly without exception, all their previous superhero films have been highly entertaining, thus my expectations were pretty high. True to form, it did not disappoint. I did enjoy the characters, though not right off the bat, but it took some time to warm up to a band of selfish misfits who become united in a selfless cause to save the universe from a ruthless villain’s destructive ambitions.
Rocket the raccoon brought a fierceness to the screen with his dripping sarcasm, smallish frame, and massive guns. Though he was the most compelling character for me, the other misfits did finally build a comradery after many quarrels, tiffs, and scuffles. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) does somehow keep this merry band together against their will because he knows he will need each of them to succeed in thwarting Ronan the Accuser.
The dialogue moves at a steady pace, and it is never boring. One must pay close attention lest he or she gets lost among the twists and turns throughout the two-hour film. Again, some minor profanity brings the film down a notch, (why do directors think this is remotely funny?) yet the action is engrossing and the special effects are spectacular. I should mention that I saw this in 3-D and many objects popped out of the screen, though I think 2-D would have been just as fun. I did like the sentimental nod toward Peter’s mother at the end of the film, which seamlessly tied everything together well. No doubt a sequel is in the making. I would give this film 8.5 Hulk Smash Fists.
August 19, 2014
MR. KADAM’S SPICE KITCHEN
“MR. KADAM” ON THE SUBJECT OF GINGER
Welcome back to Mr. Kadam’s Spice Kitchen! It’s been awhile since he’s shared some of his wisdom on the uses and history of spices but he’s glad to be back! For those of you unfamiliar with who Mr. Kadam is, let me introduce you.
Colleen Houck, author of the New York Times Bestseller, TIGER’S CURSE SERIES, wrote a character who has and always will be near and dear to her heart. He’s known as Anik Kadam, King Rajaram’s trusted military adviser. He was born in 1635 and has been Ren’s man-at-arms and handled all business affairs for their family. He was born to a military family of the Kshatriya caste and is skilled in hand to hand combat and wielding a sword. He, like Ren and Kishan, sustained long life as a result of the curse and the amulets they possess. He is both fierce and loyal, wise and kind. Mr. Kadam, however also has a passion for spices and cooking. He is like a walking/talking dictionary of knowledge on most any subject but, he loves spices!
For this month, he’d like to share one of his go to spices, GINGER!
First, he’ll share some history and uses of the spice and at the end he’ll share 2 recipes that are simply DELICIOUS!!!
So, without further delay, introducing Mr. Kadam.
To understand and fully appreciate ginger (in the voice of Mr. Kadam), we must first explore its properties and origins. As you may already know, ginger possesses an intriguing; sweet, spicy and pungent flavor rendering it suitable for a wide variety of dishes from soups to meats to desserts to ginger tea . . . Are you also aware that ginger root is not actually a root at all, but a rhizome?
Let me see, ah yes, let us begin with ginger’s origins. I believe ginger was introduced to Europe in approximately 800 AD and was ranked second only to pepper as a spice for centuries. For your pleasure, I’ll give a brief synopsis of the benefits and purposes.
Ginger “root” is characterized by it’s strong sweet, woodsy aroma. It has a light tan skin with a creamy yellow flesh that is coarse and stringy.
It is typically found in the tropics and warmer regions such as West Africa, the West Indies, my home India, and also China. The best quality ginger was grown from Jamaica where it is most abundant. Later, it was grown in the United Sates in the more warmer and tropical climates such as Florida, Hawaii and parts of Texas.
Ginger was used in ancient times as a food preservative and to help treat digestive problems. To treat digestive problems, Greeks would eat ginger wrapped in bread. Eventually ginger was added to the bread dough creating that wonderful treat many around the globe love today, gingerbread!
There are many uses for ginger, I’ll mention a few.
- Natural remedy for diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Ginger ale stemmed from a ginger beer made by the English and Colonial America.
- Another remedy for motion sickness, nausea, morning sickness, or general stomach upset is ginger tea. Some have reported its use for providing some relief associated with nausea in chemotherapy patients.
- Health benefits of using honey and ginger together in the treatment of respiratory problems and are said to be unmatched by any other concoction.
- Ginger oil can provide pain relief when treating skin burns.
These are just a few of ginger’s medicinal uses and purposes. I’d like to focus the rest of my time sharing two recipes that use this spice. The first recipe will use fresh grated ginger and the second recipe will use powdered ginger spice. I hope you try them and like them as I do as these, in particular, are my favorite.
Crock Pot Honey Ginger & Soy Pork Tenderloin
This recipe is not only deliciously savory but surprisingly simple. It’s a go to recipe on those busy days.
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup honey
3 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 cloves minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 Tsp freshly grated ginger (or pinch ground ginger if fresh not available)
pinch red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
1 (2½ – 3 pound) pork tenderloin
Directions:
Spray slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix together olive oil, soy sauce, honey, steak seasoning, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl or 2-cup measuring cup.
Add pork tenderloin to the slow cooker insert and pour olive oil mixture over pork tenderloin. Set slow cooker for 4 hours (if thaw) or 5-6 hours (if frozen) on low setting.
Molasses Ginger-snap Cookies
What makes this cookie superb in my opinion are the spices combined with molasses. The delicious aroma fills the home with “sugar and spice and everything nice”, making the kitchen the heart of the home! Of course, the way some feel about chocolate, I feel about these cookies.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 sticks (3/4 cup) cold butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for coating the dough)
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1.5 Tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 1/4 cups white baking flour
- 1 Tsp baking soda
- 1 Tsp salt
- 1.5 Tsp cinnamon
- 2 to 2 1.2 Tsp ground ginger
- 1 Tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 Tsp allspice
- 1/4 Tsp freshly ground pepper for a little kick (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In mixing bowl combine butter and sugars and mix on low-med speed. Once light and fluffy, add the egg yolk, vanilla and mix until combined. Add the molasses and mix in.
3. Combine all dry ingredients together in separate mixing bowl then slowly add to the wet mixture on low-med speed until just combined.
4. Using a cookie scoop, make dough balls (about 1.5 inch in diameter) and then roll in sugar. Place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper 2-3 inches apart.
5. Place cookie sheet in oven and bake for approximately 12 minutes (adjust time based on size of cookies). You’ll know they’re ready when their surfaces break out in crackles and the crevices beneath still look a bit underdone.
6. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes (I take a spoon and sprinkle a little extra sugar on top to look pretty) and then store in air tight container (they stay soft this way and taste SOOO yummy after they’ve cooled down for a bit).
7. ENJOY!!!!
It has been my pleasure sharing some of life’s simple pleasures. The art of spices and cooking. I hope you have enjoyed this segment on ginger and look forward to next month’s feature, cinnamon. Until we meet again, Bhagyashalin. May you be endowed with luck.
~ Mr. Kadam
I hope you enjoyed learning a bit from Mr. Kadam. 
I must be completely honest and tell you that these molasses cookies are MY FAVORITE cookie, my family’s FAVORITE, and I get asked for this recipe as much as the chocolate peanut butter surprise cookies everyone loves (the same ones mentioned in Colleen Houck’s book as Ren’s favorite cookie)!
That wraps up today’s spice, GINGER. It’s time to close the office doors, fire up the oven and get fancy with the spices! It’s time to cook! For fun, I have a question to see if any die hard fans happen to know Mr. Kadam’s all time favorite game? There may or may not be a fun surprise prize for the first person to answer correct. Just leave a comment on this blog.
~ Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
August 18, 2014
An Interview With Gregg Olsen
Gregg Olsen has 3 Young Adult novels under his belt. Girls on Film: A Vengeance Novel is his most recent book from his new YA series. He also has Empty Coffin Series with two books.
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See his ENVY book trailer below.
You have written both fiction and non-fiction, including True Crime. When writing GIRLS ON FILM (RUN in the UK), did you feel that the knowledge you have of real life crime helped or hindered your plotting?
Definitely helps. Over my years I’ve had the privilege (and I do consider it so) to tell the true stories of people who have survived the unthinkable. That fuels all of my fiction. This book was no exception. There’s always a nugget of truth in all of my fiction. Early in my career, I wrote about a woman who’d been poisoned and family members were all but certain that her husband – the stepfather to a 15-year-old girl – was guilty. Ultimately, he was proven not to be the killer, but as I wrote GIRLS ON FILM/RUN I thought of that girl and all of the emotions she had that came with thinking that someone close to you was a killer. Of course, GIRLS ON FILM/RUN, is complete fiction, but the heart of any good story is the conflict and emotion that comes with the action. The plotting is organic, just like real life. I let my characters take me where they need to go. Sometimes, I’m not the boss. J
When writing crime fiction, inevitably you will lose characters you grow attached to. Do you feel an emotional attachment to any of the characters in the new book?
Yes. Rylee. I love her tortured spirit and her ability to be clever, kind, and yes, ruthless. For the right reasons, I think. As I wrote the book I was rooting for her all the way. She seemed more real to me than any character I’ve ever created. I like her and I want her to find happiness and strength in life in a very real way. I know where she wants to go…and I want to help her get there.
Rylee has to make some tough decisions on her journey to find her mother’s captor, including leaving her brother behind. Will we see more of Hayden in the next book?
I’m plotting HUNT right now and I will have some Hayden in it. As tough as Rylee is, she’s come to know different kinds of love. She knows that her brother and her connection to him is a mixed blessing for sure. She protects him in real ways, but most importantly in making sure her mother doesn’t tell him the truth.
Rylee’s discovery of who her real father is fills her with rage, and it is this anger that gives her the courage to track down her mom’s captor. Is there power in rage, or is it purely dangerous?
That’s a tricky question. Personally, I believe strong emotions, passions, are good if channeled in the right way. Who wants to live his or her life feeling nothing? Isn’t it better to take that emotional energy into something positive?
If you were going on the run and could only take one thing with you, what would that be?
A book. Kidding. An untraceable credit card. A sack of money. Actually, if I was on the RUN I’d take my dog Suri. She’s a mini dachshund – so she’s completely portable. She’s great company. And she is as fierce as they come. I wouldn’t need a knife, a gun, or any kind of weapon. Suri would take on even the most formidable foes. Maybe even a serial killer.
What inspires you to write?
My readers do. It’s really that simple. I write to reach people. There can be no other reason.
Do you have any tips for budding writers?
My advice is always the same. If you think you are a writer, then you are. To be a good writer you need to practice. When I say practice, I mean EVERY DAY. I tell new writers that whatever project they are working on must be tended to daily. Even if only a few lines. A paragraph. Whatever. Writing can be difficult and almost all writers look for ways to get out of doing the hard work of the job. If you make it a routine, a promise, a commitment, you’ll have something. I promise. I’m not saying it will be easy, but nothing worth doing really is.
Best,
Gregg Olsen
August 14, 2014
The art of Threading- Hair removal from the Middle East
I’ve recently learned about Threading which is a hair removal technique for eyebrows, upper lip, or any facial hair. It removes the hair at the root with out use of wax, chemicals, or painful tweezing of hairs one… at…a…painful…time. All that is used is a piece of cotton thread, twist it, and off you go. It’s still not as well know here in the states but larger cities are seeing more and more of these salons open up. I’ve watched a few videos but have never attempted to do it myself at home. We found a place near Colleen so she will have to be the guinea pig and go try it out on behalf of all us sisters.
Most believe threading originated in India over 6000 years ago and spread throughout Asia, the Middle East and in recent times Europe. Now it’s here in the states. The Arabic word for threading is ‘Khite’; in Egypt it is also called ‘Fatlah’.
It was originally done when a woman was getting married or for special occasions in countries like Iran. In ancient Persia, threading was a sign that a girl had reached adulthood and had become a woman.
In our time we all seem to sheepishly admit that we have an errant hair or two that needs to immediately leave the spot it’s occupying. Or a trail of hair that is trying to “uncreate” the purposeful Pangea of our eyebrows, like Nanny McPhee below. In other words, the “unibrow.”
Uni-brow of sweet Nanny McPhee.
Beautiful Emma Thompson who plays Nanny McPhee. See what a difference threading, mascara, and hair conditioner can make.
Check out this videos and How To’s, and learn a little more about this natural way to stay hair free.
Cute young lady doing a How To video
Here is brave Colleen taking one for the team and getting her eyebrows threaded.
Happy Threading
-Shara
PS- On a recent visit to the local mall I notice this Shapes Eye Brow Bar kiosk. I saw that some brave lady was getting her brows threaded for the rest of us to watch. She was in a comfortable chair leaning back, she seems to be in no pain, and totally relaxed. Maybe I’ll go try it out on some Tuesday morning when few are there to watch me shape my brows publically.
August 11, 2014
THE MODERN INK SOCIETY
FEATURING GUEST TERA LYNN CHILDS
The Courage to Try New Things
Welcome to the fifth session of
THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!
During our lifetime we have a choice put before us again and again. Do we climb the new mountain in front of us, or sit and watch waiting and wishing for the courage to try. Sometimes it just takes a few words or encouragement to change the direction of our lives like it did for Tera Lynn Childs. Those words burn into our souls giving us the strength to do what our heart wishes.
~Vincent Van Gogh
Introducing, Tera Lynn Childs . . .
The Courage to Try
by Tera Lynn Childs
Every life is made up of moments that change everything. Sometimes we know in that instant that nothing will ever bet the same, but sometimes… Sometimes it takes a while to figure that out.
Growing up, I was math and science girl. I hated reading. I hated language arts. And I hated anything and everything to do with grammar. (Honestly, I still do. A little.) If someone had told 16-year-old me that I would one day become a writer—a published writer, even—I would have laughed them right out of the room.
I was going to be a doctor. Or a veterinarian. Or a marine biologist, environmental biologist, or even architect. But never writer.
Then I ended up in a graduate program for historic preservation (saving old buildings) in Columbia University’s architecture school. After two years, the final requirement for graduation was successful completion and acceptance of a Masters Thesis. Mine was on restoring historic theatres, and I dreamed of being called in to restore all the great and beautiful theatres of days gone by.
At roughly eighty pages it was by far the longest thing I had ever written. I was proud of my achievement, and when I walked into my thesis defense (basically listening to your team of advisors tell you everything that’s wrong with your project) I was prepared for the worst.
Then one of my thesis advisors said the most astounding thing. He had a PhD in architecture from MIT, generally could not speak in less than four syllable words, and was one of the smartest men on campus. After going over the basics of my paper, he said, “Tera, you are a very effective writer.”
He then proceeded to tell me that I needed to cut the word count on the first half of my thesis—the first, last, and only time anyone ever had to tell me I wrote too much. But that one phrase stuck with me. Tera, you are a very effective writer.
It didn’t hit me right away. In fact, it was several months or even a year before I thought about it again. After graduate school I’d gone home to live with my parents and basically housesit while they traveled for work. I lived on a dozen acres in the country and filled my time by bringing home a stack of romance novels.
The more I read, the more I wanted the characters to do and say things differently. That’s when I thought back to what my professor had said. I said the words to myself. I was a very effective writer. Maybe I could make the characters—my characters—do and say the things I wanted them to. (Anyone who’s ever written a headstrong character is laughing themselves silly at me right now.)
But I decided to try. My thesis advisor’s words gave me the courage to believe I could. And so I did. My life has never been the same since.
After reading Tera’s inspiring words I felt a desire to take on a new challenge, to push myself and better myself. I’ll sign up for that college class right now!
Check out Tera Lynn Child’s books. Click here to go to Tera’s website.
Join us for a Good Reads chat with Tera Lynn Childs August 28th, at 6PM Pacific Time. Win a copy of her books, “Oh My Gods”series, and “Sweet Venom.”
~Till next time,
Shara Lynn
August 8, 2014
A Baby Shower Sprinkled in Pink
Another Lotti girl is due to arrive in the next few months. Velvety soft blankets have been sewn, blushing flowers adorn little shoes and head bands, and pink is sprinkled everywhere. Unique baby names are shared to keep Linda smiling the last weeks of her pregnancy like Shalisha, Shimmer, Amaziah, and Grass.
Two overly wonderful sisters-in-law and I threw a baby shower for Linda. Heather was in charge of decorations, and as you can see she has a talent for it.
Megan has games and the fruit and veggie platters. (Not the smell and taste what’s in the diaper sort of games, but fun games. Who came up with that anyways?)
We had to guess the price of the item and total them all up the closest to the accurate price won a prize. (I did not win.)
I had cupcake duty. I had to try out 3 batches ahead of time, but learned that sour cream makes cupcakes very moist, and never forget good vanilla. (My favorite is La Vencedora Mexican Vanilla, a Mexican vanilla I have to buy on Ebay)
Linda’s only job was to look pretty (nailed it) and stay cool in our 100 degree summer here in Tucson. (note the fan in her hand?)
Julie-Linda’s best friend growing up.
It was so much fun to shop for miniature outfits I wish I could wear in colors I would never dare, and celebrate a sister whom we all adore.
Recipes
Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes (see recipe above)
Blackberry Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream (see recipe above)
from 
Your Cup of Cake Cookbook, but also check out Lizzy Early cupcake blog.
Truffle Brownies
1 Box of family sized brownie mix. (Betty Crocker is my favorite brand)
Follow instructions on the box, but then put the completed mix in mini muffin liners inside mini muffin tins. Fill until 4/5 of the way up since brownie don’t rise very much. Keep an eye on them since every oven is different. Cook for 8-14 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool frost a little spoonful of warm ganache (2/3 cup melted sweetened chocolate with 1/3 cup cream)and top the mini brownie with a little chocolate. (mini peanut butter cup, Lindor truffle, etc.)
Cheese and Tomato Tarts
On the white platter Heather made some spicy cheese and tomato tarts. She subbed the cheeses for a pepper jack cheese and they were yummy!
We are so excited for Linda’s baby girl, and so grateful we are the ones who are NOT pregnant in the 106 degree weather.
And here she is, the little bundle of joy herself, my brand new niece Ashley Willow born July 30th!
August 6, 2014
July Art Contest Winners Announced!
July’s ART
Contest Results!
The theme for this contest was TIGERS PROMISE, the prequel to TIGERS CURSE.
Thanks to everyone who participated in July’s Art Contest! I’m AMAZED by the talent and hard work you put into your masterpiece! Congrats to all of you for channeling your inner artist!
For those of you just tuning in, the contest ran for the month of July, the theme was TIGER’S PROMISE, and there was no limit on number of entries and all ages are welcome!
We’ve selected three lucky participants as the winners and they will be receiving an ASPIRING ARTIST prize package!
It will also include the TIGERS PROMISE novella as a bonus with a signed fan letter!
So, without further delay,the
THREE LUCKY WINNERS ARE. . . (drumroll please)
Aislinn L
“I used colored pencils, pencils, and pens. I don’t really have a name for it, but I think I would call it “Sketchbook of Tiger’s Promise.” My basis idea was to portray Yesubai as a tiger. Yes, I know she’s never part of the so called Tiger’s Curse, but there is fanart that shows Kelsey as a tiger with the two brothers, and I thought that would be a interesting idea to use for the basics of it. I also used the Tiger’s Promise cover for inspiration.”
Katie M.
“I made a scratch board, which features a pair of hands holding a lotus flower. It is untitled.”
and
Roseann
“I started this open canvas then I scanned it to my computer then I used ClipStudioPaint to color and shade. I called it Yesubai in the Garden because it’s supposed to be when she snuck out of the Rajaram palace and walked around the garden without a veil. I love that part.”
A HUGE congratulations to them and to each of you!
Check out all of the art submitted (and more!) on Colleen Houck’s Pinterest board entitled Tiger Fan Art.
~ Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
August 4, 2014
Colleen Houck Book Club
BOOK FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST- OH.MY.GODS.
It’s here, the end of summer and with it pool parties, sleepovers and vacations. I don’t know about you but I’m ready to say goodbye to summer (especially where it’s 100 plus degrees every day) and hello to falling leaves, hot cocoa and cozy sweatshirts.
If you didn’t get a chance to read last month’s pick, The Pledge by Kimberly Derting, it’s not too late to check it out. For those of you who participated in the live chat on Goodreads with authors Kimberly Derting and Colleen Houck, thanks! It was so much fun! For August’s book selection, Colleen has chosen…
by her good friend Tera Lynn Childs
This is the first book in the oh.my.gods. series. There are currently 6 books/novellas available. They are:
Oh. My. Gods. (Book 1)
The Twelve Days of Stella (Short Story)
Phoebe’s Fair Valentine (Short Story)
Nicole’s Labyrinth (Short Story)
Goddess Boot Camp (Book 2)
Goddess In Time (eNovella)
Here’s a little teaser of book #1,
Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country’s only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.
What if the Greek gods were more than myth?
If Phoebe Castro can keep her grades up and have another stellar cross-country season, her dream of attending USC with her best friends is only a track scholarship away. She’s made all her plans, so it’s a complete shock when her mom announces she’s marrying a mysterious stranger and moving them half-way around the world—to Greece.
What if their descendants lived among us?
Phoebe’s stuck on a secret island in the Aegean attending the super-exclusive Academy, where her new stepfather is the headmaster and the kids are anything but your average students—they are descendants of the Greek gods, super powers included. That’s right, Greek gods are no myth! If Phoebe thought high school was hard, she knows this is going to be mortal misery.
What if you had to go to high school with them?
Securing that scholarship seems like Phoebe’s only ticket out of Greece, but training and maintaining her grades will be grueling, even without a sabotaging stepsister from Hades and a gorgeous guy—what a god!—who just might be her Achilles heel. One thing is for sure—summoning the will to win and find her place among the gods could be Phoebe’s toughest course yet.
In Oh. My. Gods. the Greek gods get a makeover in this romantic odyssey of mythic proportion.
Colleen first met Tera Lynn while at the Romantic Times conference in LA. “We hit it off right away. Tera Lynn is so funny and it comes out in her books. She’s my number one wanna hang out with buddy at conferences.”
Her life story,
“I was born in the outskirts of a small town called Minneapolis, Minnesota. But, you see, my parents are pretty nomadic people, so we were only there for about a month before the moving began. (No, I’m neither a military brat nor an oil brat … I’m a theatre brat.)
By the time I started kindergarten (in Montreal, Canada, of all places) we’d lived in: Colorado, Indiana and Ohio. I spent the bulk of elementary school in San Diego and Sacramento, California. Then we returned to Minneapolis for part of middle school, but moved to Springfield, Missouri halfway through.
We actually stayed in one place for the duration of my high school career at Kickapoo High School (the alma mater of Brad Pitt–and, before you ask, no I didn’t know him… he’s twelve years older than me people!). But once college came around, I continued the nomadic tradition.
My first two years of college were spent at Columbia University in New York, but being… me, I transfered to the University of Colorado at Boulder, where I earned my degree in Theatre of all things. Since I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life–theatrical or otherwise–I went on to get a masters degree (back at Columbia) in Historic Preservation. (aka saving old buildings)
And when I finished that masters degree and still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life… that’s when I started writing. Mainly because that’s when I started reading. A lot. I would read the latest romance by my favorite authors and think, “I want to do that.”
Well, writing is a little harder than it looks when you’re just reading a book, so it took me a while to get on the write–er, right track. Four years after I earned that now useless masters degree I signed with my fabulous agent. A year later we sold my first book, Oh. My. Gods. (My first published book. My fourth completed manuscript.)
The rest, as they too often say, is history. For a while I lived in Houston, Texas (mainly because my dearest writing friends are here… but also because it’s a lovely city) and briefly in Boston and Seattle. I’ve just landed in Las Vegas. But you know I’m never far from the nomadic life. Who knows where I’ll end up next.“
Tera Lynn has also written several other series which you can read more about on her website at TeraLynnChilds.com. Here’s a little preview of her other works,
Sweet Venom series
“Medusa wasn’t a monster, she and her gorgon sisters were guardians who protected the world of man from mythological beasts. Grace, Gretchen, and Greer are her descendants, triplets separated at birth who must reunite, fulfill ancient prophecy, and take up their legacy in a world where monsters lurk in plain sight.”
Forgive My Fins series
“When mermaid princess Lily Sanderson learned she was half human, she decided to try land life. She moved in with her aunt and started human high school. She wasn’t supposed to stay, but a crush on the school swim god, a first kiss gone wrong, and a bond to her biker boy neighbor has Lily rethinking where she belongs.”
And many more . . .
I’m very excited to check out her series and I look forward to discussing it at the end of the month with all of you on Goodreads for the live chat.
So everybody who wants to join us, go get your hands on this book and if you’ve already read it then awesome! You can start leaving your questions right away (but don’t share spoilers just yet).
Join Colleen Houck and Tera Lynn Childs for a live chat on August 28th, from 6-7pm (pacific time) on Goodreads!
Also, stay tuned for the 5th edition of THE MODERN INK SOCIETY featuring guest blogger- Tera Lynn Childs!
Happy reading everyone!
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
August 1, 2014
AUGUST WRITING CONTEST
Firstly, a BIG thanks to everyone who participated in JULY’S ART CONTEST! It was a great success and was so much fun to see everyone’s creativity and talent! For this month’s contest I can’t tell you how excited I am!
For many of you August is the time of year when we say goodbye to summer, hello to fall, goodbye to poolside barbeques, hello to sports lessons and hot apple cider, goodbye to summer vacations and hello to back to school shopping and homework assignments (and yes, that includes us parents).
So… in salute to the end of summer, this month’s contest theme is . . .
BACK TO SCHOOL
WRITING CONTEST
How many of you remember when Kelsey returned home, heart broken from her breakup with Ren in the beginning chapters of Tiger’s Quest? She desperately tried to pick up the pieces of her broken heart while attempting to return home in Oregon to the peaceful, and yet plain and completely normal life that was Kelsey Hayes before she met the white tiger in a cage. Only, it was anything but. When she returned home she quickly discovered that Mr. Kadam had generously arranged for her to attend the college of her choice, Western Oregon University. He had taken the liberty of not only paying for her college courses but bought her a car, a fully furnished duplex close to campus and had even registered her for her freshman courses,
In the chapters that follow, Kelsey leads down a path that is everything but normal. She takes her schedule, her school books and tries to forget about the past by diving into her studies.
WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
If you’ve already read the story, unexpected and exciting things happen to Kelsey to quickly distract her from classes and homework.
I don’t know if I can speak for everyone but I for one would kill for an opportunity to go to school rent free/tuition free/car free like Kelsey got. I have to admit I was a wee bit jealous and how easily everything was handed to her upon her return home.
So in the spirit of generous giving for those going back to school, this is your chance to win your very own Back to School Prize Package just like Kelsey (albeit a very small version as we won’t be giving away any cars, college scholarships or fully furnished homes, but great stuff nonetheless)!
For one lucky winner there will be an
EXCLUSIVE KELSEY BACK TO SCHOOL
PACKAGE GIVEAWAY!
It will include:
~a Western Oregon University Tote Bag ~ WOU Sweatshirt ~WOU T-shirt ~WOU hat ~ Hair accessories ~ WOU notebook ~ WOU Gel Pens ~ And more!
PLUS, For two lucky runner ups there will be a
BACK TO SCHOOL PACK GIVEAWAY
It will include:
~ Notebook, Binder, Journal, Pens, And More!!
So here’s how the contest will work,
We provide you with a writing prompt (below) and you will begin your story using those words. Where you take the story is entirely up to you!
So, here’s your beginning . . .
Every night, Alice hears music coming from the picture hanging above the fireplace mantel. She examines the picture night after night but is unable to identify the source of the sound. Until tonight. As she climbs out of bed and looks at the picture she sees the wind moving the sails and the waves moving. Alice rubs her eyes in disbelief and carefully reaches out to touch the picture. Just then she felt a cold wet wave rush over her feet. She looked down. The entire floor was covered in water and more was pouring into the room. . .
Ok, the rest of this story is where your writing begins!
Here are the rules to this writing contest:
- Writing must be no longer than 500 words.
-Must have your name, age, story title and provide a mailing address should you win submitted via email to lindalouiselotti@colleenhouck.com
-Must be submitted by midnight, August 31st.
- Must give permission to present your work on a future blog if you should be selected as a winner.
- All ages welcome and is open internationally (must be written in English).
Winners will be featured in September on Colleen Houck’s website and have the unique opportunity to be “heard” on her blog!!
If you feel nervous about this contest, just remember that “Everything you want is almost always on the other side of fear” and that “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try”!
Everyone has a story to tell, that is true, but no one has your experiences, your voice. So tell it your way and see where it takes you!! Good luck and I’m excited to see what magic you create!
~ Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
July 26, 2014
Movie Review Double Feature: Transformers: Age of Extinction & Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)
Colleen’s Movie Review
Romance: Sigh. There was a pathetic, sloppy attempt to have a romance but in the three hours of robot destruction they managed to put in only two vague references to a girl and a boy being in love. I kinda liked the guy. I loathed the girl entirely. And I’m talking about loathing with a level of passion that is hard to rouse from me in a film where I had less than zero expectations. Incidentally, I would have boycotted the film altogether if my nephews had been willing to see something else.
Special Effects: They were pretty much what I expected. Stuff was destroyed. Robots were messed up. Things transformed.
What I Liked: (Looks up at the ceiling to try to come up with something) I guess I liked the Transformers okay. I enjoy the cartoon on television but I haven’t seen them do anywhere near justice to the characters, which are the Transformers by the way and not the sad little humans they interact with…but I digress. I liked the dinosaur Transformers. Kelsey Grammar and Stanley Tucci did a good job. I like looking at Mark Wahlberg in pretty much any movie he does.
What I’d Change: Where do I begin?
First, why were all the Transformers except Optimus Prime hot cars? A hot car did not match the voice or look of John Goodman’s transformer. Maybe he was a dump truck but if so, we never got to see him.
The move to China was an obvious and sad attempt to gain viewers at the Chinese box office. There was no reason for it at all.
I waited 2 1/2 hours to see the dumb dinosaurs and when I did they had all of two minutes of film.
Did I say the movie was 3 hours long? It felt like five. Three hours was about 2 hrs and 45 minutes longer than I wanted to be watching Transformers.
Like I said before, they use the Transformers to blow up stuff not to develop their unique and interesting culture or characters.
The humans in the movie are pitiable and sad. They had to give Mark Wahlberg a super gun, otherwise there wouldn’t be much he could do other than run around and avoid being crushed by stuff.
Mark Wahlberg’s daughter. Really? Come on. First, making Mark Wahlberg have a daughter that age is just wrong. He’s far too young to be seen as a fuddy duddy old man kind of dad. Her short shorts (which Mark thankfully made a reference to) were so short I felt wrong looking at the screen. Her character added nothing, accomplished nothing, inspired nothing. She served no purpose other than eye candy for the male audience. It’s insulting and backwards to have a female character like that. I feel offended on many levels.
The other women in the movie weren’t much better. The character Darcy was supposed to be a scientist but she didn’t do much more than wring her hands and discover the dinobot in the beginning. Then there was Stanley Tucci’s martial artist bodyguard/employee who saved him by commandeering a motorcycle and kicking the crap out of people following him all while wearing high heels. All the women were shallow, one dimensional, and only there to give the men something to look at between robot destruction.
What the heck was the giant magnet thing supposed to do? All it did was suck up stuff in the city and spit it back out. The vacuum thing almost got the Transformers. Oh no! Ridiculous. The only purpose was so the animators could work in some more destruction.
Did I mention I hate destruction? Especially when it has no purpose. It’s lazy writing. We don’t want to develop characters so let’s just blow stuff up instead.
Oh and at the end when Optimus Prime is giving this long speech answering the question, “Will we ever see you again?” I pretty much dubbed in my own material. “If humans spend all their hard earned dollars on this movie, just as they did all other movies, then, yes, you’ll see me again. Especially since Gavaltron conveniently got away.”
The Tagline:
Prepare for extinction
The rules have changed
Stand together or face extinction
This is not war, it’s extinction
I’m fine with these but they indicate that we’re going to see a lot more dinosaurs and they were sadly missing from most of the film.
Hunky Hero: Mark Wahlberg.
He’s a dreamy kind of action hero. Don’t think he gets his due really but he’s right up there with the best of them for me. He did the best he could in a sucky movie. He was one of the only reasons I agreed to go. Mark and dinosaurs were the only two things I thought might save it. Still, he was miscast as a brainy single dad who invents stuff. He also happens to have biceps bigger than cantaloupes and he can wield a gun like it’s no big deal. The character was disjointed on so many levels but he is at least nice to look at. Technically Optimus Prime should be the hero of the story but they make him as cold and robotic as his body.
The Villain: There were three villains in this film. Kelsey Grammar, Stanley Tucci, and Galvatron.
The villains were the only breath of fresh air. They did an excellent job and made the three hours if not fun then at least bearable.
Best Line: “Sweetie, hand me my alien gun!”
Best Scene: When the dinosaurs finally transform
Recommended for YA Fans: I’d like to think YA fans are a bit more discriminating.
Compared to the Book: N/A but compared to the cartoon, sadly lacking
Trailer
Grandma’s Review
Grandma’s Bio: My name is Kathleen and I’m Colleen’s mom. I’m a mother of seven and grandmother of seventeen with one bun in the oven (not my oven). They’re all great. None of my kids are duds-you know, like the popcorn kernels that don’t pop. My father taught me to love science fiction and mysteries. I’m a dreamer whose secret wish was to be an actress and sing and dance on stage. I have lots of things I still want to do. A few of my favorite things include-discovering new restaurants, going to movies, traveling, seeing plays, children, my dogs, Elvis, reading books, The Beach Boys, and Rhett Butler because he doesn’t give a damn AND he can carry Scarlett up the stairs.
Definition of Kicky-providing a kick or thrill, exciting
Review: “Transformers, The Age of Extinction” was visually exciting. The special effects were fantastic but there were way too many fight scenes. The movie was too long. My opinion, I believe most of the Transformer movies have had too many fight scenes in them. There can be a thing where more is not better. The fancy cars the transformers turned into were awesome to look at. The poor hero, “Optimus Prime”, became a big truck (kind of a letdown). I loved the character of Optimus Prime. He loved the humans and wanted to protect them even if they did not deserve it, and many humans did not deserve it. Nicola Peltz who played Tessa Yeager was unbelievable because she was all “sexed up” way not necessary and distracting from the plot. Stanley Tucci who played Joshua (the scientist) was just silly. I give this movie 7 out of 10 kicks.
A Guy’s Perspective
Brad did not see this film
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Colleen’s Movie Review
Romance: There wasn’t really any romance in this film though I suppose you could argue that there was a romantic relationship between Caesar and his mate which was sweet.
Special Effects: The apes were very well done. Apes riding horseback was a little too silly. The expressions and motion capture of Andy Serkis was outstanding. Loved that. Andy Serkis deserves recognition for the outstanding work he does as an actor.
What I Liked: I loved the landscape and the world created by Caesar’s tribe. The ape culture was interesting. The expression and feeling I read in Caesar’s face was so cool. He felt real to me. All the apes did, in fact.
What I’d Change: I don’t think the story was well enough developed. The bomb going off in the building didn’t make sense and didn’t do what the humans intended it to do so they pretty much died for nothing. Where would the apes get horses and why would the apes accept them as riders? How did they know how to use a gun? Did they have stables somewhere? The number of apes that overran the city did not equal the number in the village. The sign language was not great. Sometimes they used two gestures to convey an entire paragraph. Though they obviously researched ASL somewhat and I gave them bonus points for assuming there would be home signs because the scientist who taught Caesar wasn’t that good to begin with, it was still to far-fetched for the apes to have created an entire language system different than what apes would normally use to communicate. Also when they made speeches in sign language none of the apes sitting in the back would have known what was going on. Speaking would have made more sense.
The Tagline: One last chance for peace
Boring. I don’t like it. A better one would have been, “The end is coming” or “The end is here” or something more menacing than peace.
Hunky Hero: Malcolm was the hero I guess though he was more of a secondary character. I didn’t find him particularly heroic or hunky.
The Villain: Koba was the villain of the movie and it’s pretty cool to have a CGI villain. I loved that he played the silly monkey and then stole the gun and shot the humans though I found his ability to use the weapon a little too unbelievable.
Best Line: I’m not sure it was the best but it was certainly memorable.
Koba: [pointing to his scars] Human… work Human… work
[screams as he points to his damaged eye]
Koba: HUMAN WORK!
Best Scene: The fight between Koba and Caesar
Recommended for YA Fans: Sure. Planet of the Apes is a classic. Even though this wasn’t my favorite of the films it was a study in CGI mastery.
Compared to the Book: N/A
Trailer
Grandma’s Review
Grandma’s Bio: My name is Kathleen and I’m Colleen’s mom. I’m a mother of seven and grandmother of seventeen with one bun in the oven (not my oven). They’re all great. None of my kids are duds-you know, like the popcorn kernels that don’t pop. My father taught me to love science fiction and mysteries. I’m a dreamer whose secret wish was to be an actress and sing and dance on stage. I have lots of things I still want to do. A few of my favorite things include-discovering new restaurants, going to movies, traveling, seeing plays, children, my dogs, Elvis, reading books, The Beach Boys, and Rhett Butler because he doesn’t give a damn AND he can carry Scarlett up the stairs.
Definition of Kicky-providing a kick or thrill, exciting
Review: “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” was not very believable but interesting to see. The apes living situation just did not seem to be very advanced compared to how intelligent they were supposed to be. Question: They were hunting in the beginning of the movie. Does that mean they were meat eaters? I had lots of questions that were unanswered regarding the apes situation. The human population was pretty much what I expected it to be given it was an apocalyptic world. There were good & bad apes and good & bad humans. This was interesting. The apes had become like the humans in that regard. The apes riding on horseback just did not look right, unnatural I think. Apes shooting guns did not seem possible either. All in all, I enjoyed my movie experience but I believe the old Planet of the Apes movies were better in many ways. I give this movie 6 out of 10 kicks.
A Guy’s Perspective
Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.
Review:
An Enjoyable Ape Film
Any Planet of the Apes film is one of those unique movies, that even if it was average, it would be more memorable than most summer films. But I will say this, as movies go Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was actually above average, but it didn’t quite reach the stratosphere of greatness for me. More than anything, the two hours replete with stunningly realistic CGI characters and effects was an unforgettable cinematic experience. It was easy to forget the Apes were merely CGI.
The Apes have apparently established a colony in the Redwood Forest, just outside the outskirts of San Francisco. A crisis at the Bay area forces a tense encounter between a group citizens and the Apes and they have to work together to avert the crisis or face an all-out war for survival. Along the way, there arises distrust, betrayal, and tragedy.
I really enjoyed watching Andy Serkis’ performance as Caesar, the highly intelligent and capable leader of the Apes. The Ape community was depicted as a unique culture with language and rules, comparable to any other culture on our planet. A theme reminiscent of Pocahontas, both the Apes and the humans naturally viewed each other as savages. If I didn’t know better, I would have totally bought into the scenes of Apes communicating with one another in sign language, when realistically, it was primarily gestures with a few accurate ASL signs thrown in. The movie progresses and ends somewhat predictably. This film gets 7 Hulk smash fists.
