Movie Review: Our Christmas Story

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Charming if predictable Christmas romance

Cons: A bit of low budget cheese

The Bottom Line:

Romance in the past

Framed with modern love story

Ultimately fun

“How Do You Intended to Find Her? And Don’t Say Fate.” “Okay, Destiny.”

When I was looking at Hallmark Christmas movies, I thought Our Christmas Story sounded like a fun twist on the usual Christmas movie formula.  But then I started to second guess myself when it came time to actually sit down and watch it.  As a result, I was pleasantly surprised with the result.

When the movie opens, there’s been a snafu, and Chris (Gavin Langelo) has arrived to meet his girlfriend’s parents, Dave and Nell (Warren Christie and Nikki Deloach), without his girlfriend, Joanna (Sydney Scotia).  As a way to break the ice, he asks how Dave and Nell met, not realizing it is a long story.

Ten years ago, Dave and Nell met on a train accidentally, but then are separated before they can even get their names right.  As they continue to meet and separate in the small town where it turns out they both live, neither realizes they are also fighting over the budget for a Christmas festival.  Can they overcome their differences?  Meanwhile, will Joanna ever arrive?  How will her first Christmas with Chris go?

While the majority of the time is spent back ten years ago when Dave and Nell are meeting, with some interference from a teenage Joanna, we do still have an ongoing story in the present.  I enjoyed how both stories played out, and I never had an issue switching from the past to the present and back again. 

It’s pretty obvious early what tropes the story in the past is playing with, but I didn’t mind.  As I always say, as long as I’m having fun, it doesn’t matter, and I was having fun.  The leads are fantastic, and their chemistry kept me engaged.  Not to mention the near misses.  And the resolution is heartwarming.

The contemporary story didn’t resonate with me quite as much, but that’s because it didn’t have nearly as much screen time.  The actors weren’t quite as good either.  Still, I found myself touched by this ending as well.

The movie does have some low budget cheese to it, including in some of the acting.  But you take that into account when sitting down to watch a Hallmark movie, right?

Overall, I enjoyed Our Christmas Story.  It was cute, charming, and festive.  If you want something a little different, pick this Christmas movie.

Movie Review: Diagnosis: Murder - Town Without Pity

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: The acting is really good

Cons: Depressing, obvious, and lecture adjacent

The Bottom Line:

First reunion film

Too depressing for franchise

Worth skipping this one

Depressing First Reunion Movie

Since I didn’t start watching Diagnosis: Murder until part way through its run, I missed the three original movies when they first aired.  However, I watched both of the reunion movies that aired in 2002.  I remember being less than impressed with them both, so I wasn’t necessarily looking forward to rewatching them to close out my rewatch of the series on DVD.  But, I thought time and lowered expectations might help them both.  That wasn’t the case with Town Without Pity, the first of these post series movies.

This movie brings back Dr. Mark Sloan’s daughter Carol Sloan, played by Dick Van Dyke’s real life daughter, Stacy.  She was introduced in one season four episode, but we hadn’t seen her on screen since then.  But the movie starts with her and a guy nursing their car into a town in the middle of nowhere California.  They are going to miss Steve Sloan’s (Barry Van Dyke) birthday party in LA due to the car trouble.

But things get even worse when Carol calls Mark, which ends with the sound of a fight.  He worries so heads up to try to find out what happen to her.  The town where she was last seen seems friendly, but they also don’t see to be telling the truth.  As first Steve, then Amanda (Victoria Rowell), and finally Jessie (Charlie Schlatter) make their way up there, will they learn the truth?

What went wrong with this movie?  Where to start.

First, Diagnosis: Murder was always a fun, light murder mystery show.  Yes, they had the occasional more serious episode, but it was never this somber.  But somber is the only appropriate word for what we get there.  Even the subplot, which features Barry’s son Carey, doesn’t do anything to make this any more enjoyable.

Second, the mystery itself just isn’t very well done.  Even though we aren’t shown what happened at the beginning, it’s still very obvious early on what happened.  And we aren’t having any fun following Mark around to prove it because it is so personal to him.  We aren’t supposed to know until the second half what actually happened, but we do.  And then, when we “learn,” they couldn’t be any more obvious about the clue that is going to solve things.

As I was watching this, I was thinking we were going to get a lecture.  While this movie is does have that, they do provide a motive for what happens, which I appreciated.  They don’t shy away from calling evil evil, and they shouldn’t.  But, again, we could feel the lecture coming a mile away, and that’s not why I sat down to watch this movie.

Finally, almost the entire movie takes place around this town, and I missed the usual sets.  I get that a story set outside the familiar is good for an episode of the TV show, but it’s harder for fans to enjoy in a reunion movie.  The few scenes we get at Community General and BBQ Bob’s just make this fan want more of the familiar settings.

I will give the actors their due.  Everyone does a good job with the material they have.  Dick Van Dyke in particular gets a couple of powerful scenes.

This doesn’t make me hopeful for the final movie, but I will be watching it soon.  If it is as bad as Town Without Pity, fans will want to leave these movies alone so they don’t tarnish the legacy of Diagnosis: Murder.

This movie is part of the Diagnosis: Murder Movie Collection.

July 19th's Weekly TV Thoughts

American Ninja Warrior – I was rooting for Jessie to make it to the buzzer.  We got a slow start, with some surprising non-finishers, but I was happy with the people who did make it.  Still not happy about racing finals, but I am happy to see the full semi-finals course back.

Lego Masters – I don’t know what was going on with my TV/DVR/Whatever.  I had to watch this on demand, but it was pixelating the entire time.  Would have liked to see the final results better.  Not surprised the mother/son team went home since they didn’t finish the bed.  But I give them credit for trying, although that did seem overly ambitious.

The Quiz With Balls – Still a few glitches but not nearly as bad.  I wonder if it was because I watched it a different night or what.  Anyway, that was amazing how well both teams did.  But then I was yelling when we got to the bonus round.  I would have liked to see if I could have gotten more of those questions.  I feel like I could have.  I definitely knew the first one.  Ironically, she went with the only author I had to look up.

The Librarians: The Next Chapter – I was rolling my eyes a bit when I saw the theme was vampires.  But they made it into a fairly interesting episode.  I like how they are playing into the six month thing.  I mean, obviously, the show is going to go longer (I think I read that it’s already been renewed), but they are using it to good effect for the characters.  Frankly, it’s hard to believe we only have three episodes left of this season.

Destination X – Nice to see them really exploring a region and taking a break from the format so far.  That game at the end worked out well for the alliance that was in there.  Two on one made it pretty unfair.  It would be interesting to know if the romance continues after the show.

Press Your Luck – I figured the woman would hit at least one whammy in the second round.  I mean, everyone was going to pass her their spins.  I did feel badly for her at the end, she just couldn’t get anything going.  But what a night the winner had.  I’m glad he walked away.  I would have as well.  But I’m not much of a gambler.

Movie Review: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Good acting, some nice moments for fans

Cons: Pretty much everything else

The Bottom Line:

Similar premise

Without good execution

Fans should skip requel

“Nostalgia is Overrated.”

While Scream will always be my first love in the horror/slasher genre, I did enjoy the original I Know What You Did Last Summer.  The sequel?  Not as much.  And the less said about the straight to video third film, the better.  So when a new movie was announced, I started paying attention, especially when both original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. signed on.  I couldn’t wait to see it, so I went to a Thursday opening film.  I’ve got to say, I am disappointed by it.

We are once again returning to Southport where we meet five friends.  Danica and Teddy (Madelyn Cline and Tyriq Withers) are having an engagement party, which means their high school best friends Ava and Milo (Chase Sui Wonders and Jonah Hauer-King) are back in town. Oh, and Ava and Milo were high school sweethearts as well, who have gone their separate ways. As the party winds down, the four friends decide to go out to their spot to watch the 4^th of July fireworks, at the last minute inviting the fifth member of their high school group of friends, Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon).

This being Southport on the 4^th, the five friends wind up being involved in a fatal accident while out on the winding roads.  And they decide to cover it up.  (Really, people just shouldn’t drive in the area on the 4^th.)

A year later, everyone returns to Southport for Danica’s bridal shower.  But one of her presents is just a card with a note inside.  Yep, it says “I know what you did last summer.”  So, who knows their secret?

Yes, Jennifer’s Julie James and Freddie’s Ray Bronson are part of this movie, in more of a supporting role.  This really is focused on the group of five friends and the killer dressed up as the fisherman who is stalking them.  I’m okay with that.  Yes, I’m here for the nostalgia, but I don’t need it to be front and center.  It’s fine to focus on a new group of characters and watch them try to figure out how to survive this.

And the movie tries to play into the mystery of who is could be.  But if you go back and watch the original, it is such a well-done mystery with some good misdirects and well-placed clues.  Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original, is a master at layering a who done it into a slasher.  Here, the mystery isn’t as well done, overshadowed by the action.

My biggest complaint with the original sequel is that the killer goes after everyone but the people he wants to kill.  I get it in the original he’s taunting them, but in the sequel?  Really?  The only reason he behaves like he does is because of the need to have a higher body count.  But that’s a different review.  I bring it up only because here, the killer actually does have a good motive for the order the bodies drop, which I appreciated.

Of course, the original has that iconic chase scene.  This one is missing the good chase scenes.  We get some build up to some of the deaths, but they are usually over all too quickly.  There’s really only one decent chase scene, and it’s a rip off with a new elements that worked well.

Then there’s the third act.  Let’s just say, I didn’t appreciate it.  Especially since I didn’t feel the motives were successfully established to make me buy into what happened.  Maybe with better writing I’d feel differently about it.

The original has a low body count, and the Fisherman toys with the kids before he starts in on them.  While it does take a lot longer for the build up to the kills, it really helped us get to know the characters, so we can find ourselves rooting for them because they don’t deserve what is happened to them despite what they did.  This movie is so focused on the action, that it misses that key character development.  As a result, I actually found myself rooting for the killer more than I should.

Not that what happens here is on the same level as the accident in the original.  They still should have gone to the police, but it’s on a different level.

I’m not blaming the actors for this.  The entire cast is very good at bringing their characters to life, including the franchise veterans.

Keep in mind, this is a hard R rating, mainly for the language and violence.  But, if you are familiar with the franchise, that’s no surprise.  I did feel the kills are more brutal.

There are some very nice moments for fans of the first two films.  Like me, we are pretending that third film never happened.  I never watched the TV series, but I’m assuming that is sitting outside the continuity of these films as well.  Anyway, some of the nods to the earlier films are brief mentions that I appreciated.  Others felt overdone, mainly because they went on too long.

Another thing that bothered me was the age of the characters.  They are all supposed to be in their late twenties, almost ten years older than the main characters in the original.  The set up works for me with just graduated from high school teens.  It really doesn’t work for me with characters who are supposed to be in their twenties.  Especially since they are still acting like teenagers too much of the time.

The original had a great 4^th of July small town feel to it.  That was also missing here.

And we can’t leave out the modern messages of the film, which also hurt it for me.  To say more is to spoil things.  Of course, I might have felt differently if those themes and messages had been better developed.

Frankly, that felt like much of the issue with the film.  There was just too much going on, so things were rushed.  The opening accident.  The time to the note.  The first kill.  And it never really settled into a groove at all.  For being the longest film in the franchise to date, it seems like they could have found some time to slow things down and develop a character or to.  Or maybe truly explore a theme instead of just touching on something before moving on to the next bit.  Even in a slasher, we need time to breath.

The film is clearly hoping for a sequel, even setting it up in the final moments of this film.  I’m not sure I will be back.  If I do come back, I doubt it will be in the theater.  Anyway, if you do see this movie, you’ll want to stick around until at least part way through the credits.

I reserve the right to change my mind as I’ve had more time to sit with this new I Know What You Did Last Summer.  But my immediate gut reaction to this movie is that it should have been given the hook.  What happened last summer should have been forgotten. 

Book Review: Murder in the Tattoo Parlor by Elizabeth Perona (Bucket List Mysteries #4)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: It was great to visit the characters again

Cons: The plot should have been stronger

The Bottom Line:

Bucket List gang back

Story needed some more work

Characters still fun

Murder Leaves a Permanent Mark

When the publisher cancelled Elizabeth Perona’s Bicket List Mysteries several years ago, I assumed that meant that the adventures of these senior citizens were over. So imagine my delight in seeing that the father/daughter writing team have self-published some new books. I dove back in with book four, Murder in the Tattoo Parlor. 

The series features a group of friends in their 70’s who decide to help each other check items off their bucket lists. The main character is Francine McNamara, but there are five friends overall. 

What I’d forgotten about the series was that it introduced a supernatural element with the second book. This story jumps in with that storyline on page one. I’m still not impressed with that part of the books. The authors have made an adjust to this ongoing storyline, which they explain in the prologue to the 2025 edition of this book, which is the one I read. But you know what? As much as I don’t like it, I’m also curious where they are going with it. Yep, I’m being inconsistent as always. And yes, I’m being vague on purpose since it’s a spoiler for earlier books in the series. I do also have to point out that this particular storyline also opens a plot hole in this book.

The mystery in this book kicks off when Francine and Charlotte agree to go with Joy to her appointment to get a tattoo. Yes, it’s on Joy’s bucket list, but she’s not so sure she’ll actually follow through. They show up for the late-night appointment only to find the tattoo artist dead. The new police chief wants them to stay far away from the case, but Francine can’t help but start investigating. Her biggest surprise is that none of her friends seems that interested in helping with the case since they all have their own distractions. Can Francine figure out what happened? 

I was smiling as the story got going. These are fun characters, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed them. Yes, I’d forgotten some of what was going on in their lives, but the book did a good job of reminding me. We don’t see as much of the group as a whole, but the time with the characters was fun. 

But the mystery could have been stronger. Francine spends a lot of time going around in circles. Parts of the story were a little obvious early. Yet, the ending is rather abrupt and left me wondering exactly what a character was thinking earlier in the book. Yes, things made sense, but it wasn’t developed enough to be fully satisfying. 

On the other hand, I enjoyed the humor of the book. It’s not a laugh a page story, but there are definitely laughs and grins throughout. 

And, as I said, I’m curious to see where some of the storylines are going in book five. I expect I’ll get to it as some point. 

This is one of those books that I have a hard time recommending or not. I’m glad I picked up Murder in the Tattoo Parlor, but it is flawed. If the premise of the series appeals to you, I recommend at least picking up the first book, which I remember thoroughly loving. 

Here are the rest of Elizabeth Perona’s Bucket List Mysteries.

Ornament Review: Masked Marvel - Spotlight on Snoopy #28 - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Snoopy in a lesser remembered persona

Cons: All cons masked

The Bottom Line:

Secret masked hero

Snoopy is wearing the cape

In fun ornament 

Just Who Is This Masked Marvel?

As I’ve often said, the Spotlight on Snoopy series was the one Hallmark series I’ve been collecting for much longer than I’ve officially been collection Hallmark ornaments. So I’m always looking forward to seeing what Snoopy and Woodstock are up to each year. And this year…wait a minute. We don’t have Snoopy. We have the Masked Marvel instead!

Okay, so the Masked Marvel is one of the personalities that Snoopy has taken on over the years. Usually, when he dons this mask, he’s going to do some feat of athletic prowess. Or at least pretend he can do one. 

And that’s the persona we get for this year’s ornament. Snoopy is standing with his arms outstretched almost like he is flexing his muscles. His mask is on, and he’s wearing a red cape, something he doesn’t always wear as this character. I’m glad they included it here since it adds a bit more to the ornament and provides a fun splash of color. Naturally, Woodstock is similarly costumed, although his cape is green. 

Honestly, I had forgotten about this character that Snoopy plays, but as soon as I started reading about him, his appearances came flooding back. I always prefer it when this ornament series highlights something from the comics, so I liked seeing that here. And seeing Snoopy in this pose is fun. 

As usual, Snoopy is standing, so the ornament is solid enough to be set out to display. It helps that Woodstock is extending the base ever so slightly. Still, you’ll had to be careful since the ornament wants to tip back.  It would take quite a bump to do that, but it could happen.

And you’ll find the series marker on Snoopy’s foot as always. 

The ornament tips forward ever so slightly, but that’s not something you’ll notice when you hang it unless you are looking specifically for it. 

This one might appeal most to die hard Peanuts fans, but they will love getting to add Masked Marvel to their collection. Even me, who forgot about this persona, thinks it is nice it was honored with an ornament. 

Be sure to shine a spotlight on the rest of the Spotlight on Snoopy series. 

Book Review: Solid Gold Murder by Ellen Byron (Golden Motel Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great mystery in a fun location filled with great characters

Cons: Would be nice to see more of Jonas

The Bottom Line:

Tech mogul murdered

Delightful second entry

Fun characters, laughs

Second Gold Rush Leads to a Second Murder Mystery for Dee

I’ve long enjoyed the mysteries of Ellen Byron, but I really enjoyed the debut of her Golden Hotel Mysteries last year. I am happy to say that Solid Gold Murder is a solid follow-up. 

This series is set in California’s gold country up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The main character is Dee Stern, a former sitcom writer who has purchased a motel just on the border of Majestic National Park. She’s in business with her best friend, Jeff Cornetta, who is recovering from time spent in Silicon Valley. Yes, this series is very Californian. As a native, that may be one reason I love it since I always enjoy seeing things I recognize in the books I am reading. 

As this book opens, the duo are beginning to expand the offerings they have for guests, including panning for gold. However, the first guests to use their setup find real gold, not just the fool’s gold Dee and Jeff put in the sluice for them to find. 

Naturally, this sets off a mini second gold rush, which is great for business. Or it would be if one of their guests weren’t Sylvan Burr, an insufferable tech billionaire who wants to strike it rich again. He has a way to alienating everyone who comes in contact with him. So it is hardly surprising when someone pushes him down an abandoned mine shaft. The surprise is some of the secrets coming out after his death. With so many suspects, will Dee figure out who killed Sylvan?

I love it when an author comes up with a murder plot that can only happen in the location where the story takes place. That’s the case here, and it adds to the fun. 

And, before we completely leave the topic of the location, the setting for this series is great. The motel is between two tourist towns, and the rivalry between the two is great. We also get some descriptions of beautiful scenery. This is definitely one of those places I’d love to visit in real life. Between murders, of course. And that is semi-possible since the setting is a fictionalized version of real places.

Speaking of murder, we’ve got a strong mystery here. There are lots of suspects so there was always something more to learn and a clue or red herring to ponder over. I really appreciated how things played out when we reached the logical climax. 

Plus we have several subplots that perfectly weave in and out of the main mystery and help keep our attention.

About my only real complaint is that Dee’s budding romance with Jonas feels underserved here. I get it, there’s so much going on we don’t have the page time to see more of him. I hope this is remedied in future books. 

But the characters we did get to see? They were just as delightful as they were in the first book. I enjoyed seeing how these relationships grew over the course of the book. Naturally, the suspects did their job of keeping us guessing. 

While Ellen’s books have always had humor, I find this series her funniest. There are lots of laughs and jokes to be had. 

In the way of extras, we get some road trip tips and a recipe for a bar cookie. 

Solid Gold Murder is another delightful mystery from the pen of Ellen Byron. Avoid the (gold) rush and pick it up today. You’ll be glad you did.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book. 

TV Show Review: Survivor - Season 48

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great cast and some refreshing game play

Cons: Nothing major for me

The Bottom Line:

Forty-eight seasons

The show is still worth watching

Thanks to a great cast

Some Different Strategies and Good Players

As much as I love Survivor, the seasons don’t tend to stick in my mind.  I mean, we are on season 48, and there have been 750 contestants (at least according to Jeff Probst, host and show runner) over the last 25 years.  Yeah, is it any wonder why I have a hard time remembering specifics of the seasons?  But I do remember the general way the show has progressed over the 48 seasons, so that’s part of what made season 48 so interesting to watch.

As always, the format remains pretty much the same.  18 new strangers are stranded in Fiji into three tribes.  They’re given nothing and have to work together to survive.  But, as the teams lose challenges, they have to vote each other out.  Part way through the season, the tribes merge and they start voting people out after individual challenges.

There are usually one or two players each season that annoy me.  Jeff seems to love them because they make great TV, or so he thinks.  No Jeff, they are just annoying.  However, I have to give this season’s annoying player props.  She was entertaining as well as annoying.  My issue was that she was trying to play the godfather and no one was allowed to go against her.  And then she’d get hurt when someone did.  Sorry, that’s not how the game works.

And yet, here’s the other side of that.  Some of the players on this season made deep bonds.  And there was a major alliance that was trying to play honorably and loyally.  I was actually rooting for them.  I think it was because they were playing with more trust and not domineering, unlike the player I mentioned earlier.  Also, I think it was because I enjoyed the duos that formed this major alliance.

However, those not in the alliance felt they were being robbed of the chance to play the game, and made a big deal about it.  On the one hand, I can understand and sympathize with what they are feeling.  It’s hard to know there is little you can do to change your fate in the game.  But to claim that the other people weren’t playing the game was wrong.  They were playing it the way they wanted to.  It just wasn’t a strategy that those on the outs could break up. 

It's been a while since we say a loyal group.  And it’s been a while since we saw so many public duos.  I found it refreshing and a bit of a throwback to the days before there were so many idols and advantages to keep that from happening.  And before everyone decided to play by backstabbing.  I’ll admit, I enjoy those blindsides and twists, but there is something to be said for playing a loyal game, too.

Then there was the secret duo.  And that’s all I will say.

There were also lots of great personal stories this season.  People who overcame baggage they brought with them.  I was moved several times.  Yes, it often happens once or twice, but it was more often than that this time around.

This season continued the trend of mostly 90-minute episodes.  But seriously, can we get more of a reunion at the end of the season than we are getting now?  I know, I’ve seen saying that for years, but I’m going to keep saying it.  Please and thank you.

Survivor 48 is another season that will have fans engaged as they watch the choices the players make play out.  It featured some game play we hadn’t seen in a while, and I liked that.  And the cast was mostly likable.  That, to me, makes a great season.

July 13th's Sunday/Monday Post

Greetings, salutations, and other big words.  It's time for this week's Sunday/Monday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
Mailbox Monday
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Fairly quiet week around here.  Didn't do much outside of work.  It was super hot in the middle of the week, but it's cooled down some now.  I'm mean, it's still July in So Cal, but we're talking lower 90's instead of near 100.  And yes, those 10 degrees do make a difference.

Saturday was ornament premier at Hallmark, so I went and picked up a few ornaments.  I don't think I'll buy as many this year as in year's past, but I often say that in July.  We'll see what I wind up with at the end of the year.

I've run into an issue with one of my library cards.  Yes, I have three: local city, county, and then one for a large city near me.  And it's the third one that I can't seem to use on Libby right now.  I was trying to get a couple of audiobooks, too.  Not sure when I will be going down to a branch that could help me either, which is frustrating.

And this Saturday is game day, so I need to get this post finished up so I can go have fun playing games.

Joke of the Week:

What do you get when a police officer surprises a skunk?

Law and odor

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Home Again

Tuesday - Book Review: Frightened to Depths by K.B. Jackson

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Home Improvement - Season 8

Thursday - Book Review: The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper by Sally Carpenter

Friday - Movie Review: Christmas Quest

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - TV Show Review: Survivor - Season 48

Tuesday - Book Review: Solid Gold Murder by Ellen Byron

Wednesday - Ornament Review: Masked Marvel

Thursday - Book Review: Murder in the Tattoo Parlor by Elizabeth Perona

Friday - Movie Review: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I've got five books to tell you about this week.  And I managed to snag them all for free!

The first is Dead, White and Blue, the second Northwoods Mystery from Annie McEwen.  I've heard such great things about this series.  I'm hoping to get to the first soon.  But I couldn't pass up getting the second for free.  It was on special over the 4th.  Love that tie in.

The second is still free as of my typing this on Saturday.  It's Max and the Multiverse by Zachry Wheeler.  You aren't seeing things, I actually got a scifi book.  A mystery author I like was plugging it in her newsletter, talking about it being funny.  I had to give it a try, and the price is right.

These next two are ARCs.  Edam and Weep is book six in Linda Reilly's Grilled Cheese Mysteries.  I enjoy this series, so I'm looking forward to spending more time with the characters.  Looks like the main character might be getting married in this one, although the teaser doesn't mention a wedding at all.  We'll see when I get to it.

This week, Sarah E. Burr announced that her next Book Blogger Mystery is coming out at the end of August.  Since I love this series, I jumped at the chance to get an ARC.  It's called Fatal Sign-Off.  I can't wait to see what the characters are up to in this book.

Finally, I was able to get one audiobook from my local city library (but not the two at the top of my list).  What I got was Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly, the first time he teams up Harry Bosch with Renee Ballard.  I'm interested to see how this pairing goes.

What I'm Currently Reading:

Friday night, I finished Murder at Rough Point, the fourth in Alyssa Maxwell's Gilded Newport Mysteries.  It was interesting since the book was the first one not set during the height of the summer season.  I found I missed the characters we've met who aren't in the area at this time of year.  I need to write my full review, but it will be up in about a week and a half, so I've got a little time yet.

As of my typing this, I've just barely started Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood.  It got bumped up my TBR pile by the announcement at the second season of The Marlow Murder Club is coming to PBS near the end of August.  I'm assuming it will be based on this book, and I wanted to try to get it read first.  Since I loved the first book, I'm looking forward to getting further into it.

Now, it's time to finish getting ready for game day.  Have a good week!

July 12th's Weekly TV Thoughts

American Ninja Warrior – I also get so incredibly nervous when Joe runs.  Glad he made it.  Nice to see Rob again even if he didn’t make it very far.  Not too many fast finishers, but an impressive number of finishers overall.

 Lego Masters – I correctly picked the top two teams.  I preferred the other team’s build, but it’s hard to argue since both were impressive.  At this point, it really does get hard to see teams go.  They’ve all had great builds, but one issue can send you home.  And so many of them were breaking this week, too.  But only one on the runway.

 Quiz with Balls – There were some hard questions tonight, at least for me.  And some super easy ones.  How did people from Brazil get that one wrong?  Didn’t seem to be any super big swings in the game, just slow and steady people going in the pool.

 The Librarians: The Next Chapter – As much as I typically don’t like the flashback to see how we got there stories, I do enjoy something like this where we get different perspectives.  Nice to see them focusing on different characters letting us get to know them better.  And that final scene?  I’m very curious to see where they are going with that.

 The Snake – Yikes!  I get that lying and manipulating are part of the game.  But man the gaslighting is out of control.  I have such respect for the pastor walking away like that.  Yes, his fate was pretty obvious, but still, I respect him for it.  And I’m glad he didn’t turn into a manipulator like everyone else. I don’t like them adding new people this late in the game.  That just doesn’t seem right.

 Destination X – I thought they were in Venice from the clue we got they didn’t.  So seeing the players all over the place and no where close to that was interesting.  And the players reactions when they learned where they were was so fun.  Sorry to see the bold strategy didn’t pay off and the alliance was broken.

 Press Your Luck – I was so worried she was going to wind up hitting a whammy at the end.  That did seem to be the theme of the night, after all.  But she got a very nice prize package there at the end.

Movie Review: The Christmas Quest

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Decent romance with good Christmas elements

Cons: The quest part of the plot is undercooked

The Bottom Line:

Iceland at Christmas

Treasure hunt does not quite work

Makes it average

“Is This Everyone You Imagined It Would Be?”  “No.  I Imagined You Being Chased by a Bolder.” “There’s Still Time.”

When I was looking at Christmas movies to record in 2024, The Christmas Quest caught my eye for a couple reasons.  The idea of a Christmas treasure hunt sounded fun, plus I was fans of the stars from their mystery movies.  Sadly, the movie didn’t live up to my expectations.

Stefanie (Lacey Chabert) has followed in her mother’s footsteps.  She’s become an archeologist who tracks down long lost or forgotten treasures.  Her mother spent years trying to track down one particular treasure, the legendary treasure of the Yule Lads.  She spent many Christmases in Iceland looking for it.

So when a stranger (Derek Riddell) shows up in Stefanie’s office saying he has a new clue for the Yule Lads’ treasure, she jumps in to find it.  However, it quickly becomes apparent they need an expert in the Norse languages, so Stefanie turns to her ex-husband, Chase (Kristoffer Polaha).  As the two follow a trail of clues in Iceland, will they find their old spark?

The problem with his movie was it didn’t quite know what it wanted to be.  Was it trying to be a typical Hallmark Christmas romance?  Was it looking to be a treasure hunt movie?  Did it even want to squeeze in Christmas elements?  It did the romance pretty well.  Some of the Christmas moments seemed genuine, while others felt forced into the story.  And the treasure hunt?  That was the biggest disappointment of the film.  It had the elements there, but they were all undercooked.  It was doubly disappointing since that was the main thing I was hoping to enjoy with this film.

I was also left wondering, given the theme of the movie, why was it Chase was okay with leaving his parents behind for Christmas to go off with his ex-wife?

This is really Lacey and Kristoffer’s movie, and they do a great job with it.  The rest of the cast all have very small parts.  They mostly work, although a few didn’t quite pull it off for me.

The real star here is Iceland.  Yes, the movie was filmed on location, and it makes you want to travel to Iceland.  Maybe not in the winter (I hate the cold), but it is absolutely beautiful.

I feel like there is a version of this movie that does a better job of balancing the elements so everyone is satisfied when they finish watching this movie.  But that’s not the movie we got.  If you want to fill 90 minutes, The Christmas Quest will do that, but don’t expect the quest to be an equal part of the story.

Book Review: The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper by Sally Carpenter (Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Sandy and the rest of the characters in a fun mystery

Cons: Slow to start; one out of time reference

The Bottom Line:

Cruising for murder

Can Sandy find the killer?

Another fun book

Sandy’s Cruising Toward Another Murder

While the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries were on my radar for a while, I finally gave the first one a try last year, and I enjoyed it.  It’s been a delight revisiting him, and The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper, the third, was another enjoyable book.

As the series title implies, Sandy was big in the 1970’s, when he had a singing career as well as a TV show where he played a teenage detective.  But now, it’s 1993, and Sandy’s career has faltered, in part due to his lifestyle.  But newly sober, he’s trying to rebuild his life, taking any job his agent can book for him.

Which is how Sandy finds himself on a cruise ship.  He’s joined by his sister and a band, and his job is to provide two shows a night on a week-long Caribbean cruise.  It should be easy enough, right?  Complicating things is the dead body that Sandy finds in his dressing room the first night of the cruise.  The victim was part of another show on board the ship.  Sandy doesn’t feel like the cruise ship’s security is taking the murder seriously, especially if they consider him a suspect.  Can he figure out what really happened before the cruise ends?

The book gets off to a bit of a slow start, giving us more of the set up than we really needed.  Yes, some interesting subplots are introduced here, especially for Sandy’s sister, who is blind and had a very small singing career of her own.  It was still entertaining to read, but I do wish it were a little faster to get going.

But once Sandy finds the victim, the plot picks up.  There were plenty of great twists and turns to the story, and I was kept guessing until near the end.  Yes, I did figure things out a little before we were supposed to, but not by much.  And I’m not complaining, either, especially since I only knew the big picture.  Naturally, I found the ending logical, and I appreciated how all the details were wrapped up.

Since Sandy is rarely in one place for long, going wherever he can get a job, we are slowly getting to know about his world.  That’s definitely the case here since this is the first time we get to see him interact with his sister.  I really liked that relationship, and I appreciated how her blindness was used in the story and what it showed us about both of them.

Yes, Sandy is continuing to develop as a character, and I enjoyed seeing that again here.  We get a couple of supporting players who show up on the ship, one of whom is a bit of a surprise.  Not that I’m complaining.  The suspects were good as well.

I mentioned earlier that these books are set in 1993.  Unfortunately, the author drops in a pop culture reference for something that came later in the decade.  It’s just one line, but it did throw me.  Still, that’s a minor complaint.

Spending time with Sandy continues to be fun.  I’m glad there are several more books for me to read.  I can’t wait to see how else he finds murder on the comeback trail.  If you are looking for a fun cozy, you’ll be glad you picked up The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper.

Check out the rest of the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries.

TV Show Review: Home Improvement - Season 8

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Laughs with a good family sitcom

Cons: Randy really is missed, show is showing its age

The Bottom Line:

A cast departure

Sitcom still providing laughs

As the show bows out

“Couldn’t You Have Some Kind of Special Blooper Show?” “Dad Already One.  It’s Called Tool Time.”

By the time season 8 of Home Improvement originally aired in 1998 and 1999, I knew it was the final season before they officially announced it.  No, I don’t have any inside information or a psychic ability.  I could just tell they were running out of story ideas.  And an original cast member leaving certainly didn’t help.

If you’ve missed the show, it was a sitcom from the 1990’s and a huge ratings hit for much of the decade.  It featured Tim Allen as Tim Taylor.  His job was hosting Tool Time, a show on a local access station that talked about building, remodeling, do it your self projects, cars, and anything that would appeal to men.  His cohost on the show was Al (Richard Karn) with Heidi (Debbe Dunning) their assistant.

On the home front, Tim was married to Jill (Patricia Richardson).  They had three boys, Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), and Mark (Taran Noah Smith).  Rounding out the cast was the Taylor’s next door neighbor, Wilson (Earl Hindman) who used his knowledge of obscure tribes and ancient philosophers to offer Tim and Jill advise with whatever issues they were facing.

As I teased earlier, Randy didn’t stick around for long this season.  Jonathan Taylor Thomas wanted off the show to focus on his schooling, so they sent his character off to Costa Rica on an exchange program focused on environmental issues.  He did come back for the Christmas episode, but that was the last time we saw him.  We only saw him in flashbacks during the finale.  Honestly, his departure left a hole in the show since his character got some of the best sarcasm and laughs of the three kids.

In order to help deal with the character loss, Tim’s younger brother, Marty (William O'Leary) became a larger presence this season.  Still only a recurring character, Marty moves in with the Taylors after his marriage implodes, even bringing his twin daughters along for a few episodes.

Yep, a show bringing in young characters since their main cast is getting older.  A sign a show is going to be winding down.

Over the course of this season, Brad tries to focus on soccer and his grades so he can get a scholarship to college.  Jill works on her thesis to graduate with her master’s degree in counselling.  Al gets closer with his girlfriend, Trudy (recurring guest star Megan Cavanagh).  And, of course, we get another epic Christmas decorating episode.

Rewatching the earlier seasons, there is a clear formula to this show.  Tim does something stupid.  It causes an issue with Jill.  Wilson sets him straight, and Tim and Jill make up.  Fortunately, the show began to grow beyond that as it went along.  The boys growing up certainly helped.  Yes, we still get episodes like that in this season, but they aren’t as plentiful.  And Jill makes a few mistakes of her own that need Wilson’s help.  Could it have done better in not falling into the stupid man trope?  Yes.  But it was still better than it used to be.

While I’ve bemoaned the loss of Randy, the show was still very funny this season.  Yes, even when the show went for the obvious joke, the actors brought their best to it and made me laugh.  And there are some unexpected laughs over the course of the season.  Watch this season compared to some of what passes for sitcoms on TV these days, and you can tell that the genre is in serious trouble.  (Not all of the shows on today are bad, but a lot of them are.  That’s a topic for another review or two.)

The actors all know their characters at this point, and they work well together to bring the laughs out of the scripts they are given.  I enjoy watching the group of them together.

We even get some great laughs from the serious two parter when Jill has to get some pretty major surgery.

The show does delve into some more adult jakes than you might expect from a family sitcom.  Part of me wishes they’d left things cleaner.  On the other hand, most of these comes from Tim and Jill talking to each other, and I do appreciate them showing a couple that is married and still attracted to each other.  And, compared to most of what was on TV then and definitely what is on today, the show is still fairly tame.  Still, adults might want to brush up on what was on the show so they know what their kids might be asking them about.

Which brings us to the multi episode finale.  Officially, there are three episodes in the finale, which aired over two weeks, but I feel like the episode before the official finale should be included since it sets up the multiple episode arc.  It starts when new rules from Tool Time’s sponsor leads Tim to decide to quit.  Jill gets a job offer that would require the family to move.  And Al decides to get married.  One of those episodes is a clips show, but the rest all deal with these storylines.  I really liked how Tim handled Jill’s job offer.  Quite possibly the most mature he was in the entire run of the series, even if he did still have to get a nudge from Wilson.

In with the episodes on these discs is the original retrospective that aired immediately after the series finale back in 1999 with bloopers and interviews with the cast about the show.  This gets the episode count for the season to 28, all of which are preserved in this set in their native full frame and stereo sound.

In the way of extras, we get a season long blooper reel and a 45-minute reunion special that aired a couple of years later.  It just has Tim, Richard, and Debbie before a live audience introducing clips of the show.  Honestly, between that, and the clips episode of the show, we get a lot of duplicates.  Still, it is fun to watch.

While not one of my all time favorite sitcoms, there is a reason people look back at Home Improvement fondly.  While season 8 might not have the best episodes of the show, it still serves up plenty of genuine laughs before we leave the Taylor family.

Book Review: Frightened to Depths by K. B. Jackson (Cruising Sisters Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters we love in another strong mystery

Cons: All cons frightened away

The Bottom Line:

Victim a werewolf?

Puzzling, fun mystery

With great characters

Nothing to Be Frightened About Here

It’s been six months since the release of the third Cruising Sisters Mystery, and the fact that I’m just now picking up Frightened to Depths is only a reflection of how many other books have been calling my name this year. It was certainly worth the wait since I enjoyed it. 

When this book opens, it’s been a year since Charlotte McLaughlin’s husband died, leaving her a cabin aboard a luxury full time cruise ship. No, she knew nothing about this cabin since it was where he’d meet up with his mistress and their child. But Charlotte and her sister, Jane, have moved in and enjoyed exploring the world in style. 

When Charlotte and Jane’s cruise ship docks for a couple of days in New Orleans, they run into an old crush of Jane’s. He joins them aboard the ship, along with a band reuniting with a former member. But when that band member is shot with a silver bullet under a full moon, Jane’s new beau looks like a suspect. After all, he is writing a book about New Orleans's werewolf legend. Will finding the truth cost Charlotte her relationship with her sister?

While the set up may sound complicated, the book does a good job of easing us back into Charlotte and Jane’s world while introducing us to the suspects and victim. It isn’t long before the murder happens, and the plot introduces us to some nice twists before we reach the logical climax. 

Even though we are on a cruise ship, we don’t see too much of some of the supporting players. It was a bit disappointing, but only a small disappointment. The main characters are all here, and I appreciated the growth we saw in some of their relationships. The suspects were just as strong, and did their job keeping us guessing perfectly. 

I have to give a special shout out to Charlotte and Jane’s relationship in this book. While the story is told from Charlotte’s point of view, Jane’s point of view is well represented. We understand where both of them are coming from as they try to navigate the strain they go through here. I really enjoyed it and what it showed us about both of their characters. 

The only thing I’m frightened of at the end of this book is that this might be our last visit with the characters. If Frightened to Depths does turn out to be the end of the series, fans will be happy with how they sail into the sunset. But I’m hoping we will get more with them. 

Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Home Again

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong story for Norman and Rita in the middle of intriguing mail mystery

Cons: Nothing worth bringing home

The Bottom Line:

Lost vase in the mail

Put POstables in action

Franchise still charming

“Is That a Joke?” “Maybe.”

I’ve never been one for binging a series because I find that I start to see plot points coming even sooner than I should.  (And yes, I’m watching these movies and writing the reviews much faster than I am putting them up on my blog.)  So I was pleasantly surprised when Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again managed to surprise me a couple of times on the way to the climax.

We joined the POstables with a couple of changes in their lives.  While The Mailbox Grill is no more, it’s last owner Ramon (supporting player Zak Santiago) has opened a new restaurant.  Meanwhile, their office has been moved.  As Shane (Kristin Booth) is trying to decorate their new office, she accidentally knocks a hole in the wall, revealing a hidden room with a stack of mail from 1999.  Sadly, the room has a leak in it, so the mail is damp and partially damaged.

But in the middle of the mail is a package containing what appears to be a valuable vase.  The gang quickly tries to figure out who sent it so they can return it.  Where will this lead?

Meanwhile, Oliver (Eric Mabius) must deal with the changes in his routine and Norman (Geoff Gustafson) tries to make a good impression on Rita’s (Crystal Lowe) parents when they arrive in town as a surprise.

I really do love all four members of this team, so it was nice to see Rita and Norman have a prominent storyline.  Oliver and Shane still feel like the leads to me, but the storyline with Rita’s parents is much stronger than those two often get.  While the ending was a bit predictable, it was still wonderful.

As I teased earlier, I didn’t find the main mystery predictable.  They zigged a couple of times when I thought they would zag.  Maybe some other day I would have picked up on those things early, but not today.  Yet, these twists were logical given everything else going on in the story.

As always, the movie is going to pull at your heart strings several times during the almost 90-minute run time.  But if you are watching this movie, it’s probably no surprise since almost everything this franchise has produced has had that effect on me.  It still doesn’t feel like manipulation, which is saying something.

Among the guest cast for this movie are Kim Delaney, Barry Bostwick, and Colleen Camp.  Whether a recognized name or not, the cast does a good job here, and I enjoyed seeing them bring this story to life.

Once again, this franchise will find you uplifted and encouraged.  That alone is reason enough to watch Home Again.  Combine that with character you can’t help but love and an engrossing story and you’ll be glad you spent time with it.

This movie is part of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered Movie Collection Volume 3.

July 6th's Sunday/Monday Post

Time again for a Sunday/Monday Post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
Mailbox Monday
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

I hope everyone here in the States had a good Independence Day.  The friends who host my monthly game day had some friends over.  Yes, we played some games, but just generally hung out.  Stayed way too late playing Mario Kart 8.  As in, I need to take a nap if I know what's good for me.

Other than that, this last week was month end close at work.  We should have closed on Thursday like normal (day 3), but there was an issue with the system, so we weren't able to.  It's been postponed until Monday, that is assuming the IT people get the system working again over the long weekend.  Definitely feel for them, but glad we got a bit of a reprieve.

Joke of the Week:

My friend kept nagging me about pretending to be a flamingo, so I had to put my foot down.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - June 2025 Reading Summary

Tuesday - Novella Review: Murder by Moonlight by Julie Mulhern

Wednesday - Movie Review: Jaws

Thursday - Book Review: Mistaken Identity Crisis by James J. Cudney

Friday - Movie Review: Jurassic World: Rebirth

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Sunday/Monday Post

Monday - Movie Review: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Home Again

Tuesday - Book Review: Frightened to Depths by K.B. Jackson

Wednesday - TV Show Review: Home Improvement - Season 8

Thursday - Book Review: The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper by Sally Carpenter

Friday - Movie Review: Christmas Quest

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

Book Haul:

I've got some ebook deals to talk about this week.  Most of these are older deals I snagged, but they are all still on sale if you hurry.  At least they are as of Saturday afternoon.

This first one I just snagged on Saturday.  I've eyed Iris Crawford's long running series of catered murders for years.  But that's as far as I've gotten.  The first, A Catered Murder went on sale for 99 cents, so I couldn't pass that up.

You know what's better than that?  A freebie.  Body in the Books was featured Friday in a weekly email I get from an author about one of her friend's books that is on free.  This is the first in a series from Heather Huffman, and sounds good.  And it's hard to pass up free if it sounds good.

Next is A Brazen Curiosity by Lynn Messina.  I wish I remembered how this one crossed my radar recently, but I went ahead and got it when the ebook went down to $2.99.  It featured an "old maid" of 26 in Regency England and sounds like it could be good.

Then comes Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose.  This is the first in a series about an heiress solving her grandmother's murder.  Yes, that can be quite depressing, but in this case, the book sounds more fun than series.  We'll see when I get a chance to read it, I guess.  Not passing up $2.99.

Next up is Off the Air by Christina Estes.  It's another debut from this year, and this time the main character is a reporter in Arizona.  And this one is still currently $2.99.

We jump to 99 cents with The Mysterious Case Missing Motive by Michele Pariza Wacek.  This series features a woman who winds up getting roped into helping her great aunt solve mysteries.  Sounds like it would be fun.

Finally, for $1.99, you can get The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood.  This is the third in his Marlow Murder Club series.  I loved the first and already bought the second, so I grabbed this while it was on sale.

This should keep me busy for a while.

What I'm Currently Reading:

I've barely started Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien.  Too busy having fun for the holiday weekend.  This is book six in a series I generally enjoy, so I'm expecting to like this one.  But I'm only one chapter in as I type this.  So maybe I'll post this so I can get some reading done.

Have a great week, everyone!

July 5th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Fox decided not to air new shows this week, which surprises me since the 4th wasn't until Friday.  But since that's about half of what I watch these days, my list is very short this week.

American Ninja Warrior – Bummed about Lance.  He’s another I always root for, although he’s not the most consistent on the course.  The brothers were pretty amazing.  Whenever they start talking someone up, it makes me nervous when they run, even if they are running last, when we typically get someone who finishes.  Speaking of which, I was so happy the woman who kicked things off finished.  It’s rare we see someone finish so early.  And yes, I do think they choose which order to show us the runs in.

The Librarians: The Next Chapter – It was nice to get to know Connor a bit better.  And talk about a head trip.  They really had me going for the final third there.  I knew something was coming when they got the crown back so easily, of course.

Destination X – Wow.  This is the problem with alliances if everyone knows.  And for some of them to be so off with the year.  Not that Peter was close, but he was closer.  Good move to get rid of the one person who knew.  But that’s a brutal twist.

Movie Review: Jurassic World - Rebirth

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Action sequences, some effects

Cons: Characters and acting are okay at best, predictable

The Bottom Line:

Hunting dino blood

Excuse for more monster thrills

Film’s okay at best

“I Can Guarantee Your Safety.  More or Less.”

Back when Jurassic World: Dominion came out, they told us that it was going to be the end of the franchise.  But life, or in this case a profitable franchise, finds a way.  Now, just three years later, we get Jurassic World: Rebirth.  While it has its fun moments, it is just average overall.

While it’s only been three years for us, it’s been five years in Jurassic World time.  During that time, the dinosaurs that were unleased on our world have mostly died off.  (I guess the writers like that particular storyline from Fallen Kingdom as much as I did.)  The atmosphere had changed enough that they can only survive in a band around the equator.  And that area is off limits to humans as a result, something rare that all governments agree on.

Our McGuffin of a plot involves a medical company needing blood from the three largest dinosaur species across water, land, and air to use in their research for a new heart medication.  Really, it’s just an excuse to get a group of characters on an island with dinosaurs, right?  Anyway, as far as characters go, we have Zora (Scarlett Johansson) as the mercenary hired to try to provide some security.  Mahershala Ali is Duncan Kincaid, a friend of Zora’s whose boat they use to get to the island.  Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) is the scientist along since he is an expert on dinosaurs.  And Rupert Friend is the head of the pharmaceutical company funding all of this.  Since this is Jurassic Park/World, we need some kids to be in danger as well.  We get those in the form of a father, his two daughters, and the older daughter’s boyfriend (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, Audrina Miranda, and David Iacono), who are swept up into the madness against their will.

You’ll notice that there is a lack of characters we already know.  We get a reference to Dr. Grant, but that’s it.  The producers decided to work with completely new characters here.  So, in many ways, you could jump in here.  Honestly, given the times they flashed on the screen at the beginning of the film, I’m not even sure how this truly fits in with the other movies.  The five years post Dominion is the official log line, but it feels like it should have been longer to me.

If you’ve seen any of the films in the franchise, or most creature horror films in general, you pretty much know how this is going to go.  And the film does little to surprise us.  Yes, there were a couple of small ones along the way, but nothing earth shaking.  (Well, except the large dinos).

That’s not to say it is bad.  I got caught up in quite a few of the action sequences.  And there are some good ones.  There are also scenes that aren’t as developed as they could have been.  There are a lot of characters to juggle, and the movie’s run time is just over two hours, so I’m sure some things were truncated.  Honestly, I’m thankful because too many long chase scenes and this would have started to feel bloated.  But there are a couple of standout scenes you’ll enjoy.

One thing that made is hard for me to care about the movie was the characters.  They feel pretty generic.  The attempts to give them some backstory fell flat, mostly because it was predictable.  And the character arcs we got were just as shallow and predictable.  If they tried to give us any arc to the characters at all.

The acting didn’t help.  While the cast did okay with the action and the one liners, any time they had to show any depth, it felt forced.  Not all of them were bad, but there were several that really struggled.

The special effects were also a mixed bag.  Some of the scenes were jaw dropping gorgeous, and I bought everything I was being sold.  Others?  Pardon me, but your green screen is showing.

For good measure, we also get an anti-drug company message.  Given the McGuffin of the plot, it wasn’t surprising.  But the writing was so clunky that it was almost comical.

Speaking of laughs, we do get some get one liners and other purposefully funny moments to break the tension.

As has become the case with the franchise, we get some new monsters.  Honestly, I wish we’d done without them.  They didn’t add anything but some gruesome images.  The velociraptors are reduced to a cameo.  And the prologue?  We could have lost that and not lost anything from the movie.

Jurassic World: Rebirth isn’t the worst the franchise has to offer.  It’s also far from the best.  It’s just kind of average.  If you are anxious to see the film, you’ll be glad to see it in the theater.  But if you decide to wait until it is available to watch at home, that’s a fine alternative as well.