Alex J. Cavanaugh's Blog, page 27

ID Resurgence Review, Paperback Writer, July Movie Preview, IWSG Anthology Contest Update, and Ninja News

Independence Day: Resurgence Movie Review
Director Roland Emmerich says he hates superhero movies because he finds them silly.
Dude, have you watched any of your own films lately?
I left my brain at the door and my intelligence was still insulted by this film.
Sure they went bigger, and it was fun if you could sit through the nonsense. Unfortunately, the stupid was too much for me.
This film failed on every science level and then some. Plausibility just went right out the window and there were...

Finding Dory and Conjuring 2 Reviews, New IWSG Feature, New Releases, and Movie Trivia

I am posting about world building at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group today!
And if you missed the sad news this weekend, actor Anton Yelchin was killed in a freak car accident. He was Chekov in the Star Trek reboot, Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation, and Charlie Brewster in the Fright Night remake. Details at Blastr.
Movie Reviews
Finding Dory
Dory’s memory starts to come back and she takes Marlin and Nemo off to find her parents.
If the movie has a downside, it’s in the familiarity. The pl...

MST3K Reunion Show, Robot Movie Trivia, Top Grossing Films Ever, 2016 Music Roundup, and Ninja News

I had the honor of a guest post at Anne R. Allen’s Blog on Sunday, June 12!
She and Ruth Harris maintain a top notch site for writers – one of Writers Digest’s Top 101 Sites for Writers. If you’re a writer, you need to check it out.

MST3K Reunion Show
We are just two weeks away from the MST3K Reunion show!

Why is this such a big deal? Outside of a Con appearance or two, these guys have not been seen together for fifteen-twenty years.

The originator of the show, Joel Hodgeson, is in the middle...

Book to Movie Dream, The Night Manager Review, Question of the Month, New Releases, and What Movies Have Held Up Over Time?

Thanks to everyone who joined us last Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

I am in need of co-hosts!

If you can co-host July 6, August 3, or September 7, leave a comment or send me an email. Thanks!


I also have the honor of a guest post at Anne R. Allen’s Blog on Sunday, June 12!


My New Dream by Lori L. MacLaughlin
Thanks very much, Alex, for having me over!!
When I published my first book, I realized a dream. But now that I've reached that star, I've had to come up with a new dream....

Insecure Writer’s Support Group! X-Men: Apocalypse Review, June Movie Preview, Buddy Movie Trivia Answers, and Ninja News

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts today are Murees Dupe, Alexia Chamberlynn, Chemist Ken, and Heath...

Does Going Through Crap Make One a Better Writer? Plus The Nice Guys Review, Buddy Movie Trivia, and Ninja News

Movie Review - The Nice Guys
Directed by Shane Black and starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, it’s a quirky film. If you’ve ever seen the director’s movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, you’ll understand the type of quirkiness.
The film harkens back to the 80’s and 90’s buddy films. (Reminded me a little of The Last Boy Scout.) Crowe and Gosling are a mismatched pair who have to work together to solve the mystery.
It wasn’t quite a funny as I’d been led to believe. The humor is more quirky, less lau...

MST3K/RiffTrax Fanboy, BattleBots, You Rock Awards, and Ninja News!

Why This Fanboy Loves MST3K/RiffTrax
Back in the early 90’s, I was flipping through the channels when I came upon Invasion USA on what was the Comedy Channel. Only this wasn’t just the crappy 1950’s film – there were three people silhouetted in the right bottom corner. A guy and two robots were making fun of the movie.

At first, I thought it was weird but interesting. Slowly, I realized just how hilarious the jokes were. About twenty minutes, I got into the vibe and was hooked. The humor was ri...

Reviews - Captain America: Civil War, Rifftrax:Live Time Chaser, and Jungle Book! Plus A to Z Challenge Reflections and Writing Humor with Misha Gericke

Captain America: Civil War Review
The team is split by the Sokovia Accords, which grants the UN control of the Avengers. When the Captain’s pal Bucky is accused of bombing a UN building, the team is split further as Captain moves to protect Bucky and find the real villain.
The idea of accountability and control over powers is a fascinating conflict. (Also explored in Batman v Superman.) It raises a lot of moral and ethical questions on both sides. A lot of it comes down to standing for what yo...

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, RiffTrax:Live – Time Chasers, May Movie Preview, and Parallels: Felix Was Here!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts today are Stephen Tremp, Fundy Blue, MJ Fifield, Loni Townsend, B...

A to Z Challenge: Ultroz, Vibra-Transmitter, Weightlessness, X Gun, Yeast Steak, and Zero-Ray! Plus Challenge Survivor Gear

A to Z Challenge!
My theme - Origins of Science Fiction Terms and More! The term, its meaning (definitions from Technovelgy), and first book appearance / a movie that features this term / a blogger buddy who reminds me of that term.
I’m also the guinea pig for an experiment – A to Z Lite. I get between 100-170 comments per post in April during the Challenge. And it has just become too much to return that many every day, six days a week. The other A to Z Admins agreed to an A to Z Lite trial ru...