Ok, I’m well behind the times when it comes to seeing this. That said, I’m well behind the times about seeing anything in the full priced theater, perhaps you are as well. This weekend Maleficent came out to Redbox.
I was sceptical at first. The original Sleeping Beauty as imagined by Disney was never my favorite and I’ve found many retold fairy tales lacking. Then again, I loved Ever After and Wicked so let it not be said that I’m overly biased.
I adored Maleficent.
Whoever they found to create and piece the story together to cast Maleficent as a misunderstood and misused magical creature was either a mad genius or made a pact with the devil to get it this good.
Not to mention Angelina Jolie. If there was ever a woman who looked so perfect that she is nearly alien, it’s her. Wow, there are so many facets to her character that it’s hard to know where to start. [Warning, there be spoilers ahead!]
In this story, Maleficent begins as a carefree and kindhearted fairy of the Moors, a wild and wonderful place filled with all manner of magical creatures. The Moors kingdom has always had a rocky relationship with the adjoining kingdom. She meets Stefan, a peasant boy who wanders into the Moors to find treasure. The two begin a friendship that evolves into what Maleficent believes is true love.
Stefan (played by Sharlto Copley), as we remember from our Disney of the past, is King and father of Princess Aurora. He has to do some pretty terrible things to become so, including taking from Maleficent the one thing she holds most dear. If you want to know what that is, watch the movie – it’s really horrible. Needless to say, Maleficent is heartbroken, enraged, and willing do anything to make Stefan pay for his betrayal.
This is where the curse and those silly fairies come in. Aurora is taken from the kingdom to be raised by these truly annoying woman who don’t have a half-a-brain to rub between them. In fact, their incompetence is so severe that it is Maleficent herself that unwittingly begins to look after and care for the child from a distance.
For me, this is where things get interesting. Enter Diaval played by Sam Riley, the raven Maleficent turns into all sorts of different creatures, including human, to be her spy. The writer in me wants to go into all sorts of detail on why he’s there and why his character is so effective, but I’ll spare you. He’s awesome, and quite possibly my favorite character.
Prince Phillip is played by Brenton Thwaites and in this movie he does pretty much nothing than provide some continuity from the original Sleeping Beauty. He’s there for the kiss – but wait, there’s a twist!
And then, of course, we can’t forget Aurora played by Elle Fanning. As much as Sleeping Beauty is her story, she spends this entire movie being acted upon. She gets cursed, she gets raised by the idiot fairies and indirectly by Maleficent, she meets Phillip, she pricks her finger, she falls into an endless sleep that doesn’t seem to last more than a few minutes in this movie, and she wakes up and becomes queen.
What makes the last half of the film so interesting is how Maleficent changes from kind and free-spirited to dark and brooding and then back again, and the realizations she has to make to do so. In the process of raising Aurora she discovers the one thing that she thought didn’t exist, the one thing so vital to her life that all that is good disappears when it’s gone and returns when she rediscovers it. To find out what it is you’ll have to watch the movie.
All images are used here under Fair Use for discussion, review, and educational commentary. They belong to their respective copyright owners.
Let’s face it, we are all very busy people. Sometimes that translates to not having time to do the things we love. I love reading. Ever since I was a kid, I found that I would rather hang out within the pages of a great book than with real people.
I really miss having endless hours of reading time.
I never realized that there would be so many demands on my time. From caring for the kids to caring for the house and yard to attempting to become a world class author (hey, we all have dreams), there is hardly time to breathe some days.
This is where I love short fiction, and even better, having it delivered to my inbox like a little present. Here is a list of great places to go to get a mini reading fix during the day.
Tor.com – For those who love Tor books, here is where to find their ongoing series of short stories They don’t have an email service, but their twitter feed @tordotcom will provide you a link when they release a new story. They publish 1-2 stories a week.
Daily Science Fiction – This includes more than just science fiction, they also include fantasy, slipstream, and other speculative fiction topics. When you subscribe they will send you daily stories in you inbox.
Every Day Fiction – Like it says, this is also a email service that sends out daily stories to your inbox. These stories can come from any genre and are a great way to be exposed to different types of writing. They are also all flash fiction, meaning under 1000 words, so they are fast reads.
Where do you go to get your reading fix? Tell us about it in the comments!
Happy Halloween dear readers, it’s time to get your creepy on! Whether it’s hanging out at an awesome party with friends or watching a spooky favorite at home with your favorite person or fur baby, have a great time and stay safe.
Don’t know what to watch? Here are some of my favorites-
Kid Friendly Picks:
The Dark Crystal andLabyrinth – Growing up, it became tradition to watch both of these movies in the week leading up to Halloween. There was something about the magic and the puppetry that was very appealing to me. Well, that, and David Bowie has an appeal all of his own. Rumor is that there is a sequel to Labyrinth in the works, I’ll keep you updated.
Watcher in the Woods – Admittedly this is an oldie, but it still gets me everytime. And, yes, that is Betty Davis.
Nightmare Before Christmas – I say that this is kid friendly even though I can’t get my kids to watch it still. I get a kick out of it.
Not So Kid Friendly:
Army of Darkness – Ok, I’ll admit this is slightly out of my comfort range when it comes to language and gore, which shows immediately what kind of horror film watcher I am. (A wimpy one, not going to lie). But, there’s something about Bruce Campbell that I love. Plus, it’s laugh out loud funny.
The Mist – This movie based on the Stephen King novel packs so many punches that you’ll question going out into the fog for the rest of your life.
Shaun of the Dead – Take your classic zombie movie and turn it upside down and you get this hilarious parody. Again, this is more funny than scary, and that’s why I like it.
What are your favorite creepy movies? Share in the comments below!
All images are used here under Fair Use for discussion, review, and educational commentary. They belong to their respective copyright owners.
It’s no surprise that I love YouTube and pop culture. So, when I found this awesome little piece – just in time for Halloween I might add – I knew I had to share it.
Speculative fiction is when a story has one or more elements that aren’t considered part of the real world including magic, fantasy creatures, and unreal settings. It includes such genres as horror, fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal, and yes, even vampire romances.
Since Shia isn’t an actual cannibal, as far as we know, this lovely piece of internet is a solid horror story instead of a factual recounting. It is also the most bizarre thing I’ve seen all year, and that’s saying something.
We last left Mike sailing through the air once again in the clutches of Ben the bluejay. He’s escaped Queen Caliee and the prison fortress of Willow Keep and is finally on the way home.
Cool autumn air rushed through Mike’s hair and down the neck of his jacket, making him shiver. He held tight to Ben’s foot and tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach as the bird flew higher and higher. It wouldn’t do to throw up in front of Maybelle, not after he had tried so hard to be brave.
Off to the left he spotted Ben’s gnarled crabapple tree and he remembered the promise he made at the beginning of his journey.
He craned his neck up and shouted out to the bird. “Can you set us down over by Auntie Marie’s burrow?”
The bird whistled in reply and began a steep descent toward the end of the hedgerow.
Maybelle tugged at Mike’s sleeve to get his attention. “I thought we were going to your home. Who’s Auntie Marie?” She yelled over the wind.
“A friend I met on my way here. You’ll like her.” Mike answered.
“Sweetie lady! Oh yes, oh yes!” Ben spun in the air, making Mike scream against his will.
Maybelle shrieked in delight, arms extended out as if she too were a bird. At least she was enjoying herself. Mike wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if she found the ride as terrifying as he did.
Ben dove down, pulled up sharply, and released his two passengers a few inches above the ground, making Mike tumble end over end in the grass. Maybelle landed lightly on her feet and for a moment Mike could do nothing but stare in open admiration as he lay flat on his back struggling for breath.
Before Mike could get up, Ben hopped over to him and started dipping the tip of his beak into the pockets of Mike’s jacket.
“Enough you crazy bird, I don’t have anything for you.” Mike shooed him away and climbed to his feet. “That’s why we are going to Auntie Marie’s, remember?”
Ben bobbed his head. “Right, right.” He whistled again and rushed off into the hedge.
Maybelle suppressed a giggle behind a hand. “I’m guessing traveling by bird isn’t something you like doing. Am I right?”
“Let’s just say if there had been any other option to get us out of there, any at all, I would have taken it. I think I could live happily for a thousand years and not do that again.” Mike brushed grass off of his sleeve and sniffed. “If I remember correctly, Auntie Marie’s burrow is through this hedge. I hope Ben hasn’t eaten all the treats, that mouse is a marvel when it comes to cooking and baking.”
They passed through the hedge and followed the smell of candied hazelnut all the way to the burrow. When they arrived Auntie was standing at the tunnel mouth talking the ears off of Ben who was enjoying his share of nuts already.
Mike leaned in to Maybelle. “I suppose I should warn you, Auntie loves to talk,” he whispered.
“Don’t all aunties?”
Before Mike could answer, Auntie had spotted him. Her arms shot up and she released a delighted squeal. “Mr. Mike! I’ve been so very worried ever since you left. Are you well dear, have they hurt you? Oh, of course you’re fine, just look at you. Why if it wasn’t for Ben here I might have run out of things to do. He’s been so very helpful to me, bringing me things I need in the kitchen and what not. You’ll have to tell me all about this lovely girl here over some tea. Well let’s not stand around here flapping our gums, I have a fresh pear tart that about ready to come out of the oven and I won’t let you go until you had a slice.”
Mike opened his mouth to thank Auntie for her generosity but before he could speak she had turned and marched into the burrow talking to herself about how wonderful it was for Mike to be back.
“Wow, you weren’t kidding.” Maybelle said once Auntie was well out of hearing range.
“I never kid,” he chuckled. “Oh, and make sure you wash up well before going to her table. She’s half a mind to thump dirty hands with that ladle of hers.”
Inside the burrow Mike and Maybelle enjoyed Auntie’s cooking and did their best to keep up with her unending babble. At first Maybelle tried to slip in a comment or question here and there when Auntie took a sip of her tea or a bite of tart, but she soon gave up and sat back to enjoy the show.
Full of tart and tea and endless chatter, Mike leaned forward and rested his folded arms of the table and waited for Auntie to take a breath. The second she did he jumped in, there was a question he had to ask.
“Is Tilly or Jacob around?”
Auntie stammered. Mike imagined her train of thought crashing and she was forced to reorganize and reroute the cars before answering.
“They’ve gone back to their hole on the other end of the hedge, I reckon they’ll find you as you make your way back. They are always on the lookout.” She laughed to herself and launched right back into another endless stream of speech about her niece and nephew and how kind they were to visit her even though she suspected it was only for the food.
Maybelle finished her tea and gave a dramatic sigh before standing and interrupting. “Dear Auntie, it’s been a delight to meet you, I can see why Mike made a point to stop by on our way. We must be on our way if we are ever going to finish our journey today.”
Auntie stopped mid-sentence, unsure if she should be offended or not. Her whiskers twitched and she swallowed hard. “Well of course dear, you two love birds must be on your way. Here, I’ll pack a few of these hazelnuts for you.”
“You’re the best Auntie. We’ll be sure to stop by next time we are around.” Mike hugged the chubby mouse who had removed a handkerchief from her pocket and was dabbing her eyes.
Fresh from my new favorite publisher, Xchyler Publishing, comes another awesome anthology LEGENDS AND LORE. I’m showing my bias here, because I’ve had the chance to work with their editors. These guys know their stuff and find great stories to share with readers everywhere.
Check out the different stories and authors below and be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom for a chance to win some great swag.
Delve into myth and legend, where the Fates force post-modern man into a world of the unknown—a world long since dismissed as ignorant superstition.
The Brother-Sister Fable by Alyson Grauer: a young boy disappears into a realm where only his sister can follow.
Faelad by Sarah Hunter Hyatt: Claire Whitaker didn’t even know she was Irish, let alone The Morrigan, the goddess of war.
By Skyfall by Emma Michaels: a mer-couple from Atlantis find themselves in the middle of a human murder investigation.
Charon’s Obol by. R. M. Ridley: Jonathan Alvey didn’t believe in gods, until he helps a lost child find her all-powerful parents.
Peradventure by Sarah E. Seeley: a jinni must choose between the woman he loves and destroying the city that persecuted her.
Natural Order by Lance Schonberg: when Carlos Vasquez is kidnapped, he discovers powers within himself to change the world.
Two Spoons by Danielle E. Shipley: A little girl’s soul meets its match in the family diner’s most mysterious patron.
Grail Days by A. F. Stewart: Living forever has its drawbacks, especially when you spend it clearing away the messes of other immortals.
Downward Mobility by M. K. Wiseman: they say love conquers all, but can it save a Valkyrie when she breaks all the rules?
Alyson Grauer is a storyteller in multiple mediums, her two primary canvases being the stage and the page. On stage, she is often seen in the Chicago area, primarily at Piccolo Theatre, Plan 9 Burlesque, and the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Her nonfiction work has been published in the “Journal for Perinatal Education” for Lamaze International. Her short fiction can be found in Tales from the Archives (Volume 2) for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences and in one other anthology from Xchyler Publishing, Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology. Alyson is a proud graduate of Loyola University of Chicago and hails originally from Milwaukee, WI. Her debut novel, On The Isle of Sound and Wonder, will be released in November 2014 from Xchyler Publishing.
Sarah Hunter Hyatt grew up outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. As a child, she kept notebooks of stories that she would share with her little sisters at bedtime. Now, an adult, her stories have matured but still occupy her thoughts (and notebooks). “Faelad” is Sarah’s second short story for Xchyler Publishing, her first being “Stunner” which appeared in A Dash of Madness: a Thriller Anthology. Along with writing, being a mom to three wonderful kids, and a wife to a patient husband, she also dabbles in graphic design.
Emma Michaels is a cover artist, blogger, and author of the Society of Feathers series. Her love of blogging started when she created a book blog in 2009 which gave her the courage to finally submit her own novels to publishers. Emma Michaels’ publications now include Owlet and Eyrie (Tribute Books), Holiday Magick Anthology (Spencer Hill Press), and Cirque d’Obscure Anthology, and Cogs in Time Anthology (Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly). To find out more stop by http://www.EmmaMichaels.com
R. M. Ridley lives in rural Ontario on a small homestead, raising a menagerie of animals, including a flock of sheep and a swarm of foul. He has been writing stories, both long and short, for three decades, the themes of which range from the gruesome to the fantastical. As an individual who suffers from severe bipolar disorder, Ridley is a strong believer in being open about mental health issues because myths should be kept to stories. Ridley’s first short story featuring Jonathan Alvey, “A Case for Custody,” appeared in Shades and Shadows: A Paranormal Anthology (2013), followed by Tomorrow Wendell, Book 1 of the White Dragon Black series (2014). He has two works slated for release in 2015, including Books, Bourbon, and Blondes, an anthology of White Dragon Black short stories, and another full length novel, Book 2 of the White Dragon Black series.
Through two wonderful mentored research experiences, Sarah E. Seeley had the opportunity to work with dead sauropods and ancient odonates while acquiring her undergraduate degree in geology from Brigham Young University. She hopes to study more dead things in the future and contribute to scientific discussions about what makes life on Earth so amazing. In the meantime, she explores the bright side of being human by writing dark fiction. Sarah’s independently published works include Maladaptive Bind and Blood Oath: An Orc Love Story. Another short story, “Driveless,” appears in “Leading Edge Magazine” Issue #66.
In the middle of lecturing one of his children on the importance of following dreams, Lance began to wonder why and when he’d stopped following his. Gathering up a few salvageable shreds of unfinished stories, he began his first novel. He’s written several novels and many shorter works in the years since, and has had twenty or so stories see publication. At any given moment Lance is working on a novel and at least one short story—probably more—most of which fall into the broad buckets of science fiction or fantasy.
Lance can be found lurking on his blog at www.lanceschoberg.com, on Twitter as @WritingDad, and sometimes even on his Facebook author page.
Danielle E. Shipley’s first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. . . . Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof. When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. She’s also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who home schooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble.
A steadfast and proud sci-fi and fantasy geek, A.F. Stewart was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada and still calls it home. The youngest in a family of seven children, she always had an overly creative mind and an active imagination. She favours the dark and deadly when writing—her genres of choice being dark fantasy and horror—but she has been known to venture into the light on occasion. As an indie author she’s published novellas and story collections, with a few side trips into poetry and nonfiction. Stewart’s first published work with Xchyler Publishing, “Our Man Fred,” appeared in Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology (2013).
Stewart is fond of good books, action movies, sword collecting, geeky things, comic books, and oil painting as a hobby. She has a great interest in history and mythology, often working those themes into her books and stories.
M. K. Wiseman is a librarian who recently decided that it would be fun to try her hand at the creation of books instead of mere curation. A ‘method’ writer, she likes to first try out the worlds that she builds. This has, admittedly, led to some strange results. (For example, she once elicited funny looks at her daily coffee shop by adopting a British accent for one day. We’re all in trouble once she decides to write a space novel.) Wiseman’s first short story for Xchyler Publishing, “Clockwork Ballet,” appeared in Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology (2013).
Deep in the Mediterranean Sea is a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian artifacts. So far over 20,000 objects have been found, giving archaeologists clues to Egypt’s intriguing past.
Some of the most interesting discoveries found at the site of Alexandria, Egypt’s ancient capital, are those pertaining to Cleopatra. Royal quarters, including a palace and temple complex were discovered under the waves. These are findings that were thought to have been lost over 1,600 years ago. These discoveries give us a better understanding of one of Egypt’s most iconic (thanks to Elizabeth Taylor) females.
Ideas for an underwater museum are in the works where scuba divers can dive and experience a the magic of this lost era.
Just in time for Halloween I’ve found what has to be the strangest Michael Jackson music video out there – the 40 min long “Ghosts” featurette. In it, a quiet community is up in arms about one of the stranger residents because he doesn’t fit the norm.
Although it was shot in 1996, the film is meant to be set somewhere in the fifties which makes it stranger to see an angry mob of Leave it to Beaver wannabes storming his house armed with torches, yes, actual flaming torches, but no pitch forks – that would be silly.
Jackson does his best to scare the townsfolk away by making silly faces. They aren’t impressed so he summons his legion of ghost family who dance and gyrate and pelvic thrust in a way that only is found in a Michael Jackson video.
Some interesting notes – the film was co-written by none other than horror novelist Stephen King. Also, Jackson plays five different roles including that of the stuffy town mayor who wants to run him out-of-town.
It isn’t Thriller by a long shot and I can only guess that this was trying to relive those glory days. If anything it comes across as gross and a little silly. Still, it was enough to keep my nearly three-year old up all night with nightmares.
This is the Hand of Harmony rising from the beach at Homigot, Korea. Up on the shoreline there is the other hand making a matched set. The palms face each other symbolizing harmony and unity. The sea side hand marks the easternmost tip of Korea, also referred to as the tiger’s tail, and is said to be an obscure tourist trap, especially photographers. Every year they have a huge New’s Years festival here and release thousands of balloons symbolizing the hope and dreams of the new year and serve ddeokguk (rice-cake soup) to the hungry masses.
One of the biggest movie releases this fall is the Maze Runner based on the #1 New York Times bestselling novel by James Dashner. My Twitter feed has buzzed about everything about this film for weeks now which makes it all the more sad that I won’t be able to see it until it hits Redbox.
It’s not that I don’t want to see it right away, I do. I read the book several years ago and found a brilliant and innovative world with a compelling story. It has the right bones to make an awesome movie. And from early reviews, it is meeting expectations.
I guess I’m picky. When I go see a movie I want to go with my hubby which means it has to be in the evening or during the weekend. I can’t bring along the kids for two reasons, the first being that the oldest two don’t handle situations of peril very well and would either begin crying or would demand to leave and the youngest would simply cry and demand to leave because he doesn’t like movie theaters after the first 20 minutes. The second reason is that buying tickets for five at full evening prices and then add in the popcorn and drinks costs about as much as a car payment.
My apologies to the franchise in advance. Come December I will get the DVD, pop some of popcorn and curl up with my sweetie in my jammies and see what everyone has been talking about.
Alyson Grauer
R. M. Ridley
Jodi L. Milner, Author 