Throwback...Monday: Poltergeist

 

There's nothing like watching a good Haunted House movie to help you kick back and relax after a long day (or scare you so you can't sleep). And Poltergeist is just this! Even more spooky: The movie comes with its own curse, as several cast and crew members were visited by bad luck (and untimely demises) during and after the filming of the movie. Go ahead and Google "Poltergeist Curse"...

And it's directed by Stephen Spielberg, so you know it's going to be good...if a little dated. Ok, a lot dated (it was filmed in the early 80s). Still... a classic. 

The story centers on the typically middle-class Freeling family, who just moved into a picturesque new house in a picturesque new housing development. A place where there's trees to climb and bikes to ride and the biggest drama is the neighbor's TV remote operates on the same frequency as yours (remember...this is the 80s). Then strange things start to happen. It's innocent stuff at first, like things moving around on their own, but then the phenomenon takes a sinister and terrifying turn, cumulating in the Freeling's youngest child getting sucked into a void that opened in her closet. The paranormal investigators and exorcists are called in to help, and that's when things get really weird! Turns out the housing development was built over land that used to be a graveyard, and the dead are restless...and they want revenge for having their graves disturbed!

Poltergeist might be dated (cheesy, even) and the special effects not up to today's standards, but it's still got all the elements that make up a good scary movie: From jump scares to possessed electronics to creepy kids. If you're looking for a classic scary movie that's not too gory, Poltergeist is the way to go! And, if you like it, be sure to check out the sequels! Part 3 is especially scary!!

--AJB

Coraline, Neil Gaiman

 

Welcome to Halloween Week! The closer we get to that magical, mystical holiday, the more I want to read booooks and watch movies that feature all things creepy and crawly and go BUMP! in the night. Stuff that's to hide under your bed (or in your closet, if you'd rather) and give your nightmares. 

And perhaps one of the most unsettling books I've read to date is Neil Gaiman's Coraline. The scare factor of this one came as a surprise to me. I did not foresee a book written for a younger audience making me cringe like this did, but that made it even better!

The story centers around tweenage Coraline. Having just moved with her family to a creepy old house in the country, Coraline finds herself bored out of her mind. Her parents are too busy doing things parents do to spend time with her, and the only close neighbors are an elderly pair of sisters and a strange man with a horde of trained rats. So Coraline decides to explore the house and grounds and comes upon a strange door. The door leads to an alternate reality where everything seems better, from the food to the toys. Even her "Other Mother" is different, loving and attentive rather than distracted and dismissive. But things soon take a sinister turn. Because the Other Mother is not who she seems to be, and she wants Coraline to stay with her....FOREVER! And she'll do whatever it takes to keep her newfound "daughter" from getting back home.

Coraline was a delightful horrific story! There's a lot of scare packed into this slim, quick read! And if you liked the book, there's a movie adaption too.

I highly recommend both! (But read the book first. There's things in there that are TOO SCARY for film).

--AJB

Becoming Brianna, by Terri Libenson

 

I love Terri Libenson's Emmie & Friends series! Let's get that on the table right now. Just so you'll know I'm kind of biased here. 

Each story in this series focuses on a different teen from the same middle school (so if you pay close attention in each book, you'll catch glimpses of the stars of other books in the series. Sometimes they play supporting roles and other times they're just in the background. This makes the series extra fun!). Each story deals with a new, but relatable, drama, be it parent drama, friend drama, mean girls, identity, crushes, end of the world embarrassment…pretty much anything crisis a teen would face. All stories are age appropriate for tweens  and all stories are absolutely adorable! Basically, if you love Raina Telgemeier's books, you love these too. 

In Becoming Brianna, we revisit Bri, one of the stars of Positively Izzy. Shy Bri, as we previously learned, attempted to conquer her stage fright when her drama teacher mother basically guilted her into performing in the school's talent show. She did all right and felt good about herself afterward, but swore to never set foot on stage again. But obviously lessons learned were forgotten, because this book finds Bri back in the literal spotlight when she is (again) guilted into having a Bat Mitzvah party for her 13th birthday. This means she'll be the center of attention for the day AND she'll have to give a public speech...in front of friends and family...in another language! 

Can Bri survive a second round of Spotlight Jitters, being the subject of school rumors, and the knowledge of a horrible Temple legend that once, a girl got so nervous while giving speech, she actually threw up while on stage? You'll have to read Becoming Brianna to find out!

--AJB

The Witches (dvd)

 

Rumor has it there's to be a remake of The Witches, which was adapted from Roald Dahl's novel of the same name. But you truly can't go wrong with the original movie, which stars Angelica Huston as the Grand High Witch. I saw The Witches when I was young, and I'd have to say it was one of the creepiest kid's movies ever. Right up there with Coraline! 

To sum up: The story tells the tail (yes, tail) of young Luke, who, despite warnings from his witch hunter grandmother, has a run-in with some very nasty witches. A whole roomfull of them! Including the most powerful witch of all, the Grand High Witch. They use their dark magic to transform Luke and another child into mice...and the story takes off from there.

Now Luke must stop the witches' diabolical plot to transform ALL the world's children in the same way. But what can one little mouse do? 

The Witches is a perfect Halloween movie for all ages. Having recently re-watched it as an adult, I still found it creepy! It's got the right amount of scare factor without branching off into true horror. Check it out today...if you dare!

--AJB

Lumberjanes True Colors, various authors & artists

 

I'm a fan of the Lumberjanes series. These books are all about friendship (to the max!!!), self acceptance, adventure, monsters, and magic. I mean, who doesn't love that combo?! But lately the main series seems to be struggling a bit for ideas to keep things fresh. I get it. Even the best series have slumps. Especially long series. 

So I've been branching out to the Lumberjanes Originals, which feature mini-adventures that spinoff the main storyline. And the latest, True Colors, is a true gem! 

True Colors opens with Barney and Jen implying that resident Quirky Girl, Ripley, would be better off (for herself and for everyone else) if she just "blended in." Hurt, Ripley dashes blindly into the woods...and ends up in a magical mushroom forest populated by Zebracorns. Rip befriends the skateboard-riding Zee, who uses his Zebracorn magic to transform her into a normal girl. So normal, in fact, that she's practically invisible. Even her friends back at camp forget her. 

But nothing is well back at Miss Qiunzella's. Mythical Counselor Dana is there to evaluate Jen's performance...and there's something odd about that girl. Something VERY odd indeed! With Rosie out of town on a mystery mission, there's no one to help out when things go very wrong. In fact, the only one with the power to put out this particular fire is Ripley...and she's not herself lately. 

It's going to take A LOT of friendship power (and maybe a little magic) to save the day (and the camp) this time, but will the girls find (and recognize) Ripley in time? The only way to find out is to read this book!

--AJB

William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Clueless, by Ian Doescher

 

Normally I would cringe at the idea of a book adaption of a movie. This opinion is 40% bookish snobbery, because who does that? I mean, really? I ask you... And 60% experience, because, in my youthful ignorance, I've read some truly awful novelizations that near ruined beloved films. But we won't talk about those... 

That said, I typically avoid movie-to-book situations. But I always, always make an exception for Ian Doescher, because his adaptions are not simply glorified movie scripts where a ghost writer takes all the credit. Rather, these are entertaining, quirky, and literary. Yes, guys, literary! That's because Doescher takes popular movies and spins them into Shakespearean masterpieces. And let me tell you: I've never had so much fun reading Shakespeare! Or... something written in the style of Shakespeare.

I first became a fan of Doescher's writing because of his William Shakespeare's Star Wars saga. But lately he's been branching out to put the Bard's spin on such cult classics as Back to the Future, Mean Girls, and Clueless. OMG, you guys... Clueless! As if I would miss that one!! And The Taming of the Clueless has got to be Doescher's best yet! All the comedic drama of this story's plot lends itself perfectly to the Shakespearean treatment and I thoroughly enjoyed re-experiencing Cher's misadventures in matchmaking and makeovers as filtered through iambic pentameter. So much that I promptly had to rent the movie (which is also available through Oxford Public Library).

Fun Fact: For those unaware, Clueless is actually a modern-day adaption of Jane Austen's Emma. So that would make The Taming of the Clueless an adaption a movie that was an adaption of a book. So technically I guess the book came first and this is really NOT a movie to book adaption after all.

I highly recommend BOTH the book and the movie on which it is based.

-- AJB

Solutions and Other Problems, by Allie Brosh

 It's here, you guys! It's finally here!!

I'll get this on the table right now: I have waited seven years to be able to read this book and write this review. Seven years! There were moments when I believed this book would never actually be published (things got weird for a while there). But here it is and here we are. So let's do this!

Unlike many books that have generated THIS degree of hype and this level anticipation and excitement, Solutions and Other Problems is as good as I hoped. Better even. So much better!

(we won't talk about the Other Hyped Books that were a disappointment)

I was first introduced to Allie Brosh in 2013 when her first book, Hyperbole and a Half, hit the shelves. I picked it up on whim, thinking it looked quirky and fun, but unremarkable. Something to pass the time, enjoy, and move on from. But I was unprepared for my reaction to it.

In Hyperbole, Brosh spun funny true stories about childhood, living with dogs, dental work, the world's greatest cake... But she also talked about her personal struggle with depression. And not in a detached way either. She talked about herself, her life, her struggles like she was talking with a close and trusted friend (as opposed to millions of readers). Her humor and her storytelling approach resonated with me on a level I was unprepared for. It made me legit Ugly Cry and laugh so hard there was snot involved. It was so personal I felt I knew the author personally. And that's why Hyperbole became one of my favorite books, one I would keep going back to when I needed a pick-up or even when I needed entertainment. The book truly had something for every situation.

Then came news about a sequel soon to be published. And then it wasn't going to be published. And then it was. Wasn't Was. Finally...was. An official release date. And it couldn't have come at a better time. I mean, it's 2020. Things are weird out there. We need Good Things to balance out the bad. And we take what we can get and appreciate it all the more.

I think this was the plan all along.

Solutions and Other Problems is even better than Hyperbole and a Half. It has the classic mix of Humor and straight-up Serious REALness that Brosh is known for. But both author and longtime fans have grown and had more life experience in those seven years between books, and Solutions (and my reaction to it) reflects that. But I have no doubt this book will help capture new fans as well. Because how can it not. There's something in there for everyone. 

Neither Hyperbole and a Half or Solutions and Other Problems can be accurately described in a short review. As Inigo said to Westley in The Princess Bride, "Let me explain...No, there is too much," these are books that must be experienced in order to be understood. So ask your Friendly Librarian to get these books for you. You'll be glad you did!

--AJB

Cursed Films (dvd)

Ah, October... What better time of year than to turn off all the lights in the house, kick back, and watch a scary movie or two? And what's even better than a regular scary movie? A scary movie that comes with a real-life curse, of course! No, I'm not talking about the sort of cursed movie that brings certain doom to anyone who would dare watch it (this isn't The Ring, after all),  although some of these WILL scare you. Maybe not to literal death, but scare you. No... I'm talking those where, for whatever reason, an unusual amount of bad luck visited the actors and crew who worked on these films. And thus urban legends are born.

Cursed Films is a five-part documentary that takes an in-depth look at The Poltergeist Curse, deadly tragedies on the set of The Crow and The Twilight Zone, and whether the script of The Omen may (or may not) have angered evil and vengeful entities. Each episode focuses on a different cursed film and features interviews with crew members, actors, and "experts" in the field. 

Cursed Films was definitely interesting and worth watching. Plus it made me want to revisit movies I haven't seen since I was a teen (like the Poltergeist trilogy) so I can watch them with a new perspective. Because a real-life curse definitely adds a scare factor to an already creepy film!

--AJB

Delish Insane Sweets

 

Picked Delish Insane Sweets up from our New Book Shelf so I'd have something to browse during break, and I totally need to go home and make something yummy. Like NOW!! 

This book has everything to satisfy even the most refined sweet tooth! Cookies, Cupcakes, brownies... You're craving it, it's in here! Guaranteed! While some treats are borderline obnoxious (the cupcakes filled with sprinkles seem a bit much for anyone over age 6), the majority sound fantastic.

My one and only complaint is many of the cake recipes call for pre-packaged cake mix. I feel that's a little lame. For treats as beautiful and elaborate as these, shouldn't one bake a cake from scratch? I mean, if you're going to go to the trouble... 

Maybe that's just me being nit-picky, but making a scratch cake isn't hard. I'm no baker by any stretch of the imagination, and I can still bake a cake using all scratch ingredients. I can even bake you a yummy vegan version, if that's what you want.

Overall: I definitely plan to try some of these cookies! But I'm going to make my own cakes. I promise the end result will be better than anything you can get from a box.

 

--AJB