Movie Review: Inside Out

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Pixar doing what they do best, telling a great and creative story

Cons: Not all light and fun, but everything fits together perfectly

The Bottom Line:

Brilliant idea

Emotions as characters

Executed well

You Will Experience Joy While Watching Inside Out

While I have continued to enjoy Pixar’s movies, it’s been a couple of years since they had one that really stood out and was something unique and special.  I’m happy to say that’s just what we get with Inside Out.  This is a film that you’ll be talking about and enjoying for a long time to come.

We spend most of this movie inside the brain of Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias).  Our guide to her brain is Joy (Amy Poehler), Riley’s lead emotion.  Joy makes sure that Riley is always feeling upbeat no matter what is happening in her life.  Okay, so there are some other emotions in Riley’s brain, but Joy is the dominant one.

All that changes when Riley’s family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco.  Suddenly, Riley is at a loss in this new town where she knows no one.  And, to complicate matters, Sadness (Phyllis Smith) is taking over memories without even trying.  When Joy and Sadness accidentally get stuck outside the master control center, they have to find their way back.  Meanwhile, Riley’s other emotions try to fill in for Joy.  Will Joy make it home in time to keep Riley from doing something really bad?

As you might have guessed from that description, this movie isn’t all laughs.  There are some pretty serious moments, too, so be prepared for that going into the film.  But actually, that fits into the theme of the film nicely.  I’m not going to get into that any more so I don’t spoil anything, but I really did like the point the film was ultimately making.

Parents will want to know that Riley does make some bad choices in the film.  But, they are all treated as such by the story.  Just know that going in, and be prepared to talk to your kids afterwards.  The film is rated PG, and it’s a very mild PG film, so there is nothing too bad in it.

Boy, this is sounding like a downer.  Let’s fix that because this really is a funny movie.  There are lots of laughs at situations that Joy finds herself in or how Riley is reacting to what is going on inside her head.  No, we don’t see too much of the other character’s thoughts, although when we do, that is hysterical as well.  Speaking of which, watch the scenes as the credits begin for some more great laughs.

And the creativity that Pixar has always been known for is in full display here.  The places that Joy and Sadness go on their journey home are absolutely brilliant and so much fun.  No, I’m not spoiling anything here either, but trust me, you’ll love it.

Everything builds to one of Pixar’s patented climaxes that will no quit.  Okay, so it’s not as full blown as Toy Story, for example, but there are plenty of complications along the way as everything begins to come together.  And yes, they do a wonderful job of setting things up early in the film.  This is storytelling at its best.  Writer/director Pete Docter and his team deserve full credit for that.  (Pete has already directed my two favorite Pixar films, Monsters, Inc., and Up.)

Complementing the story perfectly is the voice talent.  I’m not super familiar with anyone in the cast, but they are all perfect at bringing their characters to life.  Heck, Sadness gets some wonderful laughs, and you know that comes from great acting.

The animation is wonderful as well.  Obviously, most of it is stylized, but the style always fits what is happening to the characters or where they are perfectly.  And the few glamour shots they have in the film are breath taking as always.

Opening with this film in the theater is the short “Lava.”  The animation here is stunning, and the story and song are great fun.  You’ll love it.

Pixar truly has knocked it out of the park with Inside Out.  You will laugh, you might shed a tear or two, and you’ll appreciate your emotions that much more.  It truly is a winner all the way around.

June 20ths Weekly TV Thoughts

I tried two new series, and I'm giving up on them that quickly.  I wasn't really looking to add to my summer watch list, and they just didn't grab me.  Guess I'm getting picky in my old age since I used to give shows two or three episodes before I gave them the boot.

Royal Pains – I knew Evan had done something with that video.  I was cringing the entire time.  And Divya?  Seriously?  How stupid can you be?  I know you are much smarter than this.  I did like Hank’s storyline, and I really am missing Jeremiah again.

Melissa & Joey – Episodes that much about sex really do make me uncomfortable.  Yes, I laughed a few times, but yikes!  If I’d realized just how much would be there, I would have not watched.  Granted, it didn’t help to have my roommate within easy listening distance, although he was pretty much ignoring the TV.

Baby Daddy – And again.  I could have done without this episode of the show for pretty much the same reasons as above pretty much exactly.

Astronaut Wives’ Club – I had to give this a shot because it has two actresses I like in it.  However, I thought it was probably going to be a soap opera.  Nothing in the pilot changed my mind in the slightest.  I might enjoy a miniseries or movie about the time or place, but I can’t see getting invested in a series.

Complications – I’ve gone back and forth on this show, but I decided to give it a try.  I was bored for most of the two hours it aired.  It was just starting to get interesting when it ended.  It has the potential to be quite good down the road, but I don’t think I have the patience to give it that time.

Girl Meets World – I had heard that Angela was going to be back this week, and knowing what was happening, I must admit I was a little worried.  So glad they worked things out this way because I like the relationships I see developing.  Not quite as funny as normal, but such a great episode for fans like me of the old series.  Loved it!

Book Review: Lullaby Town by Robert Crais (Cole/Pike #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good characters in a story that keeps the tension building

Cons: Joe Pike still a bit flat, language

The Bottom Line:

Finding missing son

Opens a huge can of worms

Good PI story

Lullaby Town Will Not Put You to Sleep

Well over a decade ago, I read the first two Elvis Cole mysteries by Robert Crais and never moved on to the third.  Last summer, I listened to the first two on audio with the intent of moving on to the third.  When I remembered just how dark the second book was, I almost didn’t move on to Lullaby Town again.  That would have been a mistake.

PI Elvis Cole’s latest client is Peter Alan Nelson, the latest “it” director in Hollywood.  People want just a moment of his time in hopes that it will make their career.  However, Elvis is just interested in doing this job for Peter, treating him like any regular client.

It seems that Peter was married and divorced over a decade ago.  It didn’t last too long, but it lasted long enough to produce a son.  Suddenly, Peter wants to get to know his child.  Elvis doesn’t think the job will be too hard, although the trail is a little colder than he expects at first.  However, he never imagines the world of trouble he will find at the end of his search.

What turned me off to the second book both times was how truly dark and depressing that story got.  Now don’t get me wrong, this book isn’t nearly as light as I normally enjoy, but it is a much lighter shade of gray.  You’ll still get more language and violence than the cozies I normally read.  Know that going into the book, and you should be okay.

The plot starts fine with Elvis following his normal steps to find a missing person.  However, about a third of the way through, things take a sharp turn and the book never slows down.  I was listening to this book on audio, and that kept me from knowing just how much time was truly left in the book, which means a few of the twists caught me off guard.

The characters in the story are strong.  Since most of it takes place outside of Cole’s native LA, the only returning characters are Cole and his partner Joe Pike.  They are fun leads, and I enjoyed spending time with them again.  In my mind, some of the better characters were the new characters in the book.  They were the ones that showed the most growth over the course of the story, and I loved them more for it.

This book was published in 1992, and that dates some of the references in the story.  On the other hand, I loved the pop culture references Cole made along the way.  Just remember the year as you go, and you’ll be fine.

Of course, my overall complaints about the series do continue here.  Joe Pike is more a caricature than a true character.  He’s fun and I like him, but he’s more of a superhero than anything else.  And the characters swear.  I’m not talking about just in moments of stress.  I’m talking in their everyday dialogue as they are chatting with each other.  Crais could cut out half the swear words and still get his point with the characters across.  It truly wears on me.  At least Elvis didn’t have women throwing themselves at him this time around.  That was a very welcome change.

The audio version I listened to was once again narrated by Mel Foster.  He is fantastic at capturing Elvis in the first person narration and giving his sarcasm the right touch without getting in the way of the story.

I’m glad I’ve finally moved on to Lullaby Town, and it gives me hope that I will enjoy further books in the series.  I will definitely be tackling Elvis’s next case soon.

And you can tackle his next case, too, with the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike series in order.

This review is part of this week's Friday's Forgotten Books.  Follow the link to find more great mysteries.

June 19th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

We made it to another Friday!  Time once again for Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week's book is Bless Her Dead Little Heart by Miranda James.

I'm about a third of the way into the book, and so far I'm really enjoying it.

Here is how it begins:

Miss An'gel Ducote fixed her houseguest with a gimlet eye.  "I expect you to behave like a proper gentleman while you're here."

And from page 56:

Her mouth suddenly felt dry.  "I'm glad you're here."  She hesitated over her next words.  "It might not have been an accident."

Of course, being a murder mystery, what do you think the odds are that it was an accident.  Yeah, that's what I thought as well.

Movie Review: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good story and message

Cons: Predictable with not as many laughs as they tried for

The Bottom Line:

As bad day beings

Will the family survive?

Amusing moments

It’s Not that the Movie is Terrible, Horrible, No Good, or Very Bad.  It’s Just Average

It always amuses me when a feature film is made out of a picture book.  You know they are going to have to really stretch the plot to make the film work since you can read most picture books in 10 minutes if there are lots and lots of words.  Still, some of them can be quite fun, so I was interested in seeing Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  Turns out this is an average picture book to film adaptation.

Alexander Cooper (Ed Oxenbould) is convinced that he is cursed to have nothing but bad days.  This morning, for example, he wakes up with gum in his hair and an invitation to a party from the most popular kid in school.  The problem?  The party is opposite his own twelfth birthday party.  Meanwhile, the rest of his family has amazing things happen to them constantly.  That night, he makes himself a birthday cake and a wish – that his family would see what it is like to have a bad day.

And boy do things do downhill quickly for the rest of them.  His older brother Anthony (Dylan Minnette) wakes up to a pimple on prom day while sister Emily (Kerris Dorsey) has a cold on opening night of her class play.  The promising day his parents had also goes wrong as Ben (Steve Carell) has problems with a job interview and Kelly (Jennifer Garner) hits a major snag in a book launch at her job.  Meanwhile, Alexander’s life is going right for once.  But will any of them survive the as the chaos builds?

As I’ve often said, I’m not a fan of embarrassment humor, when we are supposed to laugh at characters making fools of themselves.  I usually cringe instead of laugh.  That’s what we are treated to here, although it’s not nearly as bad as it could have been.  There are some laughs, but not nearly as many as they were trying for.

On the other hand, I did love the ultimate message of the film about the importance of family and sticking together no matter what comes your way.

The story is fairly predictable, especially since they open with a shot of the family near the end of their bad day.  Honestly, that shot ruins many of the surprises along the way, and I think killed a few laughs over the course of the film.  Granted, it’s not one of my favorite narrative techniques, but I still think this weakened the film.  Anyway, the predictability isn’t a huge issue since the film is fast paced with switches to the various characters so something is always happening even if we can guess what it might be.

The characters are fine but we’ve seen them before in other family movies.  The cast does a great job of bringing them to life, there just isn’t much to work with.  I’m not the biggest fan of Steve Carell since I can find him annoying, but I actually liked him here.  I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Garner, and enjoyed getting to see her in a new role.  The kids were all good as well.

Obviously, they’ve expanded on the book.  In fact, at times it seems like they just borrowed the name of the book and the main character.  However, there are a couple of nods to the book early on that fans will enjoy.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day isn’t a bad film.  Kids will probably really enjoy it.  Adults will find it amusing, but they won’t find much to bring them back to watch it again and again.

TV Show Review: Smallville - Season 8

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong beginning, many fun moments

Cons: Didn’t care for season’s overall plot arc/villain

The Bottom Line:

Some major changes

While show is still mostly strong

Has definite flaws

“Even a Dress Shirt Can’t Hide the Hero in You.”

As this summer approached and I got ready for my annual season of Smallville, I became quite anxious to see how this season would go.  Not only did they lose Michael Rosenbaum and Kristin Kreuk and therefore their characters of Lex Luthor and Lana Lang, but the creators of the show stepped down as show runners, meaning that a new team was working behind the scenes.  While this season did have a couple of missteps, I did overall enjoy season 8.

The season picks up several weeks after the season 7 finale.  Clark Kent (Tom Welling) is still missing after the Fortress of Solitude collapsed while he and Lex were fighting inside it.  Leading the search for the missing men, but with different teams and different agendas, are Oliver Queen (Justine Hartley) and Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman).  Oliver is hoping to find and rescue Clark while Tess is looking for her boss Lex.

When Clark is found and returns to Smallville, it’s to start his new life as a reporter at The Daily Planet working across the desk from Lois Lane (Erica Durance).  Meanwhile, Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) has a giant IQ and a fiancée in the form of and Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore) and Chloe has also taken over the ISIS foundation.  Meanwhile Clark is caught on camera, sort of, and takes the next step in his evolution toward Superman as the mysterious Red Blue Blur.

But trouble is still brewing.  Not only are Tess’s motives unclear, but she has moved in to the Luthor mansion and taken over all of Lex’s roles, including editor of The Daily Planet.  Has she learned Clark’s secret from the files Lex left behind?  Meanwhile, there’s also paramedic Davis Bloome (Sam Witwer) who is very afraid he is harboring a deadly secret.  Is he correct?

The season got off to a great start, and I honestly didn’t miss the usual drama from Lex and Lana.  Don’t get me wrong, I had enjoyed those characters, but it was nice to see some new members of the cast.  Yes, Tess is obviously designed to keep the Luthor mythology alive, but she works quite well.  And without Lana around, they are able to increase the flirting between Lois and Clark.  I loved their scenes together.  Lois is my favorite character on the show, but she is stronger than ever this season.  The scenes when she starts talking to the Red Blue blur via phone are wonderful.  I also loved the many continued references to Clark’s future as Superman.

Likewise, many of the villain of the week episodes work wonderfully.  Thanks to a reappearance by Veronica Lake (guest star Tori Spelling), we see what would happen if Clark revealed his powers to the world.  Lois and Clark go undercover as an engaged couple to rescue Chloe and Jimmy.  We do get a bit more of Oliver’s backstory, and I loved comparing that to what they’ve done with the character on Arrow.  And a wish might shake up Chloe and Clark forever.

It’s the season long arc that doesn’t work for me, and as it takes over near the end of the season, I began to enjoy it less.  Chloe starts to behave in a very stupid manner late in the season.  I don’t buy it at all.  She’s much too smart to do what she did.  And don’t even get me started on what they put poor Jimmy through this season.  He’s another character I’ve loved on this show, so I hated what they put him through here.  Plus, I was expecting more from Oliver Queen.  He felt wasted to me, although his connection to Tess added an interesting element to both characters.  They actually used him more when he was a guest star for the first half of season 6.

Of course, since the season long arc takes over as the season winds down, it ended on a bad note for me.  But really, I did enjoy most of the season.

Now, I know I said earlier that I enjoyed having Lex and Lana absent for the season, but Kristin Kreuk did come back for a multi-episode guest starring arc in the middle of the season to wrap up her story.  I actually loved most of those episodes and how that ended.  Also back to wrap up her storyline is Laura Vandervoort as Clark’s cousin Kara, although she only gets one episode.

The cast does a great job bring their characters to life.  This is no surprise when it comes to the returning vets, but the new cast members jump right in and make us care about their characters as well.

Like always, the special effects are amazing and bring all the out of the world stuff we see to life perfectly each week.

All 22 episodes of season 8 are included in this six disc set, and they look and sound wonderful in widescreen and full surround.  We get deleted scenes in a majority of the episodes as well as two audio commentaries.  Rounding out the extras are a featurette on Allison Mack’s directorial debut on one of the episodes this season as well as one on the creation of the season’s villain.  Sadly, we are once again missing the gag reel.

There were definitely flaws in season 8 of Smallville, but overall, I still enjoyed it.  I’m very curious to see how things progress next season as they keep building toward the hero we all know and love.

Season 8 Episodes:

1. Odyssey

2. Plastique

3. Toxic

4. Instinct

5. Committed

6. Prey

7. Identity

8. Bloodline

9. Adyss

10. Bride

11. Legion

12. Bulletproof

13. Power

14. Requiem

15. Infamous

16. Turbulence

17. Hex

18. Eternal

19. Stiletto

20. Beast

21. Injustice

22. Doomsday

This Week's Winner

We have another winner to announce, don't we.  So let's get to it.  The winner of Truffled to Death is...

...Donna!

I'm off to send you an e-mail, so please be sure to check your inbox.

Thanks to everyone who entered.

Book Review: Snow White Red-Handed by Maia Chance (Fairy Tale Fatal #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great characters in fast paced and fun plot

Cons: Ending a bit rushed

The Bottom Line:

Dwarf cottage in woods

And death by poison apple

Magical debut

Once Upon a Time, a Great New Cozy Series Began

If you have spent any time on my blog, you’ve noticed I love fairytales.  I recap Once Upon a Time, and I’ve read several twists on fairytales aimed at Middle Schoolers.  And there’s my whole love of Disney, which is built on fairytales.  That’s why, when I heard about Snow White Red-Handed. I knew I would have to read it.  A fairytale cozy mystery series?  Sign me up!  I wasn’t quite sure how it would work out, but I had to give it a try.  Now that I have, I only wish I’d read it sooner.

Ophelia Flax and Prudence Bright have found themselves fired from their job as actresses half way across the Atlantic heading to England in 1867.  Acting quickly, Ophelia gets herself a job as the new lady’s maid to Pearl Coop, the new wife of American millionaire Homer T. Coop.  Prue is also hired as the new scullery maid.  Their new job takes them to a castle in Germany’s Black Forest.

Within two weeks of their arrival, a cottage is discovered on their property that some claim belongs to the dwarfs of Snow White fame.  At Pearl’s insistence, renowned fairytale scholars Winkler and Gabriel are brought in to investigate the site.  Things take a shocking turn when Homer is murdered the next afternoon after taking a bite of a poisoned apple.  What have Ophelia and Prue gotten themselves into?

The book is told from the limited third person points of view of Ophelia, Prue, and Gabriel.  I wasn’t expecting that, and it threw me a little at first, but I quickly got into the flow of the story and was hooked in no time.

While there is some set up to the story, it is actually handled very quickly, and by the second chapter, we are investigating the potential dwarf’s cottage.  The pace never lets up, and the story is filled with great twists and surprises along the way.  I never wanted to put the book down, and the further along I went, the harder it was to do so.  I did feel the climax was a bit rushed, but everything was logically explained.

Likewise, the characters were wonderful.  Obviously, we get to know Prue, Ophelia, and Gabriel pretty well since we are seeing the story through their eyes.  The rest of the cast is just as good.  I’m hoping that the author finds a way to bring a few of them back in future books even though it looks like the action will be taking place in a different settings.

While the multiple person point of view isn’t something I normally find in the books I read, I do actually like the technique.  It was used perfectly to tell us the story, and the switches were always obvious, so I never had a hard time following things.

The fairytale aspect was worked in perfectly.  Not only does it drive the plot, but there are references to other tales worked into the narration.  I also liked it because it added something different to the book.  While definitely still a cozy mystery, it creates a plot that is different from the standard formula, which I loved.

So you’ll want to be caught reading Snow White Red-Handed.  This is a fun debut that promises many more magical mysteries ahead.

Enjoy more magical mysteries with the rest of the Fairy Tale Fatal series.

Book Review: The Mystery of the Midnight Marauder by Kathryn Kenny (Trixie Belden #30)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Good characters, old and new, and a fun mystery

Cons: Molinson suspecting Mart doesn’t ring true for me.

The Bottom Line:

Vandal hits the school

Trixie must clear her brother

Some flaws but still fun

Mart the Midnight Marauder?

I’ve got to admit, the title of this book introduced me to a new word.  Even though I was a teen the first time I read The Mystery of the Midnight Marauder, I don’t think I’d ever heard the word before.  It’s just not a word used in common speech.  I have, of course, heard it used in historical contexts.  So even though I sat down that first time not knowing what exactly would be happening, I quite enjoyed the book.  That hasn’t changed on my latest reread.

And yes, here comes my standard Trixie Belden introduction post.  If you know this, feel free to skip to the next paragraph.  But if you are new to Trixie, this was a series for kids like the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew.  Trixie and her two older brothers and their friends in the area just outside of Sleeyside, New York, formed a club, the Bob-Whites of the Glen, to help each other and those in need.  Along the way, fourteen-year-old Trixie kept stumbling upon mysteries that she proved to be quite good as solving.

When Trixie wakes up that Saturday morning in March, she is only worried about Reddy, the Belden family dog.  He’s missing, and she feels like it is something more than him off chasing rabbits.  But then her brother Mart starts acting funny.  And when she and the Bob-Whites arrive at school to help with some cleanup, they find it’s been attacked by someone calling himself the Midnight Marauder.

The biggest shock comes when Trixie learns that Mart is Sergeant Molinson’s prime suspect.  With the town quickly turning against teens in general because of this and other vandalism in town, Trixie’s going to have to act fact to clear her brother and find the real culprit.  But who might it be?

The thing that drew me to this series about the time I was growing tired of the Hardys and Nancy was the very real characters.  Trixie had flaws as well as strengths and she jumped to wrong conclusions on her way to solving the mystery at hand.  The same is true of the rest of the rather large cast of regular characters.  While the best of the character development took place in the earliest books in the series, this book gets the characters right and their strengths and weaknesses are on great display here.  And that includes Di and Dan, two Bob-Whites who sometimes are sidelined for entire books.  They aren’t in every scene, but they are involved quite heavily.  Because of the large cast of regular characters, you might be a bit lost if you jumped in here, but if you back up to the beginning of the series, you’ll quickly get filled in on everyone.  The new characters aren’t quite as well developed, but you can see the potential in some of them to be great characters if they had shown up again later in the series.  And they are certainly memorable

The mystery?  It’s a little obvious despite the writer’s attempts to hide the clues, although I don’t think I guessed it as a kid.  Still, rereading it knowing the solution, it is fun to see how the author planted what we needed to know so we could reach a satisfying conclusion.

The one thing that bothers me about this book is Sergeant Molinson.  Now, as a character, he’s usually gruff with Trixie and her friends since they are sticking their nose into police business and getting in serious trouble as a result.  However, this is book thirty in the series and roughly the thirteenth time Trixie’s caught a villain in their town.  Would Molinson really suspect Mart of being the marauder?  I find that extremely hard to swallow and I always have.  Yes, it’s supposed to give Trixie a motive to investigate and a get us invested further in the story.  But really?  Heck, there was one book where Molinson asked Trixie and her friends for help.  That doesn’t sound like someone who would turn around and think Mart was vandalizing the school and their favorite hangout.

Okay, rant over.

Because, despite that flaw, I absolutely love this book.  When this series is at its best, it provides fun moments and good mysteries, and that’s what we get in The Mystery of the Midnight Marauder.

Missed Trixie?  Here's a list of the Trixie Belden Mysteries in order.

This review is part of this week's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.

June 13th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Girl Meets World (6/5) – Based on the title of the episode, I thought Auggie would be telling stuff, but I loved the real tell-tale-tot.  Once again a delightfully funny yet touching episode that was so much fun to watch.  Really, this show needs to come to DVD.

America Ninja Warrior – Yes, I was rooting for Kacy, so it was hard to see her go out.  But, as she said, it wasn’t something stupid, and she gave it her all.  And there were some great runs tonight.  Plus, it looks like we found an obstacle tougher than something they gave us in Venice, so I have to take back my comment from last week.

Royal Pains – Why am I so surprised that Evan and Paige are going to have trouble having a baby?  It would have been nice to skip that.  I knew where Divya’s story was going to go, although I was happy with how quickly she got out of prison.  And it was Jeremiah who got her out, too!

Melissa & Joey – Not a huge fan of the tattoo plot, but I loved the sub-plot.  That “actress” did such a great character change.  Plus I’m still rooting for Zander.  I love his character.

Baby Daddy – It was going along okay until that final scene.  It was a bit over the top for me, and I do like farce.  Maybe you had to see it in person to fully get it.

Girl Meets World (6/12) – I was so glad to see the janitor again since this time I knew who he was (hadn’t watched the earlier seasons of Boy Meets World when he was on before).  Overall, not one of their stronger episodes.  It had some fun moments, but fairly predictable overall.