Sixth Sense - 1999

Category: Movie

Genre: Suspense

Director: M. Night Shymalan

Writer:M. Night Shymalan

Producer: Barry Mendel Productions, Hollywood Pictures, Kennedy/Marshall Company

Cast: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Trevor Morgan, Donnie Wahlberg, Mischa Barton and more

Tagline: 1...Sight 2...Sound 3...Smell 4...Taste 5..Touch 6...The Sixth Sense

A boy named Cole(Haley Joel Osment), communicates with spirits that don't know they're dead, seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist named Malcom Crowe(Bruce Willis).  Crowe then spends a lot of time with the boy Cole, who is his only hope.

Either it's way too scary for something with minimal "gore", or I had just one too many coffee for the day. But, yeah I have to hand it to M.Night Shymalan for creating a movie that can be so scary using less - gore but with only your imagination to play with. This is a well crafted movie, that would allow a viewer to really be glued in the story. It's a simple film.... but a brilliant one.

Photo Source: Media Fire

The Happening - 2008

Category: Movie

Genre: Mystery Writer/Director/Producer: M. Night Shyamalan

Tagline: We've Sensed It. We've Seen The Signs. Now... It's Happening.

Casts: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez, Betty Buckley and more.

Rated R for violent and disturbing images.

Overview and Review of The Happening written, produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

"If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live."
-- Albert Einstein

Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) is a science teacher here and he appeared while he was on a science lecture with students. Apparently, strange things have been occurring and people were fleeing from Godknowswhat and with them was Elliot and Alma Moore, Julian and Jess.

M. Night Shyamalan wanted this movie to be natural as possible. Neat and Old School. Going back before computers and technology were invented and when it was just all about "directing and storytelling". That's why a lot said, it was dull because it lacked the technology which was actually the point of the whole movie. "A 2008 version of a 1950's paranoia." - from The Happening.

Very troubling and kinda insane, a bit gory that I have to shield my eyes from the screen. Man, I just don't have the guts to watch disturbing scenes such as what Shyamalan presented in "The Happening".

People might see it as monotonous because it lacked action but for me it has it's own approach that is totally different from other movies *and indeed it is different* - one thing is that it makes you think. It's a "What If?" situation. It could be possible. It's actually one wake up call from nature and a different wake up call at that. It's not tsunami or a high intensity earthquake or a volcano erupting... but much more disturbing than what I just mentioned.

For people who are into "action" this movie is not for you. and for people who wants to think... and loves "what-if's" scenarios this one is for you.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - 2008

Category: Movies

Genre: Adventure

Director: Steven Spielberg

Casts: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Shia Labeouf, Ray Winston, and more.

Overview and Review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull directed by Steven Spielberg.

I thought this was a remake but I found out it's actually the Fourth Installment of the Indiana Jones Adventures. I never got around to watch the first 3 installments even though it's just lying in my parent's room for months already.

The famous archaeologist/adventurer Dr. Henry Walton Jones also known as "Indiana" / "Indy" (Harrison Ford) is called back into action, year 1957 when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind the mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.

It opens with Indy, kidnapped by a team of KGB agents led by a Russian scientist (Cate Blanchett) who wants to know everything,and was taken to the same vast Nevada government warehouse where it is said that the Part 1, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," ended.

This time it is not the lost Ark they are looking for. They're after the remains of a flying-saucer crash that contains a clue to what the Russians really want: and this is the Mayan crystal skull with a supernatural power of mind control (hence, the Russian Scientist... wanting to know everything).

What i like about this movie is that it is full of impossible stunts and the humor that made the Indiana Jones series such a phenomenon of its time. It also contained some thrills and suspense making you squirm in your chair or whatever you are sitting on. It has lots of goofy oftentimes cheesy action that kids love (even moi!).

If you are into adventures and all that.. this one is for you. this film is fun in it's own way.

May 25, 2008

Dark Hollow - John Connolly

Category: Books

Genre: Mystery


Author: John Connolly

Overview and Review of Dark Hollow the author of the bestseller "Every Dead Thing" by John Connolly.

"Caleb Kyle, Caleb Kyle, when you see him run a mile."

A sequel to John Connolly's Every Dead Thing featuring Charlie "Bird" Parker .

Certain killing events followed one after another, the killings of a young woman named Rita Ferris with her son Donald at the hands of an unknown killer, and the past and present collided violently for Charlie Parker.

Charlie Parker has not yet overcome the death of her young wife Susan and daughter Jenny (Every Dead Thing), and with his return to Maine he reawakens the ghosts of his past, that actually forced him to join the hunt for Billy Purdue the ex-husband of Rita Ferris and the chief suspect for the slayings.

Charlie Parker does not believe that Billy killed his son and wife but to know the truth one must look for Billy. Charlie was not the only one who is looking for Billy, the Feds, the local police of Maine, and Tony Celli a mobman whom Billy owed is after him as well.

The search for who killed Rita Feris and among other brutal slaying led Charlie to a name Caleb Kyle. Caleb Kyle is a mythical killer in Dark Hollow. A myth and a bogeyman to most.

Very well-researched and you would have additional information and history to places he mentions. A dark, gruesome book and a lot of deaths surrounding the story. This is also a mix of some private eye mystery thriller and a bit of paranormal events. The last part gets better and it's not boring because it has humor interwoven in most parts. A disturbing because of all the ghosts and a brutal psychotic tale because of Caleb Kyle.

What Dreams May Come - Richard Matheson

Category: Books

Genre: Adventure

Author: Richard Matheson

Review and Overview of the book What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson.

THE BEST. THE best original love story. A love unending. Literally SOUL MATES. *hayy* *dreamy sigh*

This is a story about a man named Chris Nielson who died in a car accident leaving his wife mourning about him. Chris took quite a long time to progress because it's actually hard for the dead to progress if someone they cared about is having a hard time accepting they are dead. Specially if that someone happens to be your wife you love - oh so dearly.

It's a great story about Death, Life after Death, Heaven and Hell.

His writing makes you imagine about the paradise. Wooo.. how he paints it right with his words. I love the essence and the principles of Life After Death.

Great! Great! The Besssssst! Super Super. Love the book to bits!!!

Sukob - 2006

OVERVIEW and SUMMARY of Sukob

Category: Movie

Genre: Horror

Running Time: 105 mins.

Director: Chito Rono

Producer: Charo Santos Concio

Sandy (Kris Aquino) and Dale (Wendell Ramos) are overseas workers who went back to the Philippines to get married. Most of the people in their hometown, specially their parents are so keen not to break all the superstitious beliefs about getting married. Don’t do this and Don’t do that…… ever since they arrived.

A day before they were married, Sandy found out what happened to her neighbor Helen who died and Helen’s husband before that. It is said,Helen broke one of the superstition because she got married within a year her father died.

Now, it is Sandy’s turn to panic…. because there were signs already that her wedding was one with a curse.

There are two stories actually in the movie. Two women getting married. One living in a province…… and one about Sandy.

Sukob is basically a story about superstitions believed by the locals about getting married.

Unlike other Pinoy horror films…. Sukob succeeded as a horror-film. It is actually well-done, that is - if you compare it to other Pinoy-horror films. I like how the two stories of the women getting married was placed sequentially.

The ending was a bit hanging, like most horror films… and it is soo unlike a Pinoy to have those kind of endings…

I like how Claudine and Kris acted. Magaling!

Strange Highways -Dean Koontz

OVERVIEW and SUMMARY of Strange Highways by Dean Koontz

Category: Books Genre: Suspense Author: Dean Koontz

This is my first Dean Koontz book. A collection of short strange stories he wrote.

These are short stories that shows the variety of what Dean K. is capable of writing…

I had fun reading Koontz’s short stories and specially his comical notes to the readers part. A compilation of Koontz’s strange stories.

Strange Highways - 5/5

1995: A story about a man named Joey Shannon who returned home to attend the funeral of his father. He dreaded going back to his hometown in Asherville. While staying alone at his childhood home, he decided to stay sober till the funeral and began “hallucinating” and “dreaming” about a blond dead woman without eyes and bloody fingers. When the funeral was over, he decided to go back to Las Vegas right away and on his way he encountered a “strange highway”, the road not taken and he was warped back to 1975.

1975: The night that changed his life. As the night went on his fate and his future would change. He was allowed to replay and rewid this part.

I like the way it ended. It has suspense and some twists. I like the tense psychological suspense he weaved throughout his story and the able-to-rewind-the-past part.

The Black Pumpkin-4/5

This one is a short story. Reminded me of Goosebumps or the Are you afraid of the Dark series.

It’s about a boy named Tommy who has a mean-spirited brother named Frank and parents who never cared about him.

Tagline: “You get what you give”

Somehow, in the end… the family got what they gave. More like sowing and reaping thingy. Creepy. Basically more like a story for kids.

Miss Attila the Hun - 5/5

This one is a story about an-alien-thing called Seed who wanted to take over the world in a very weird way. It wanted to get inside all the humans and control everyone and then when the Day of Release came, where every human being can gain control of their own selves half of them would go crazy while the others would stand by on their sanity and finally lose it on the end.

Miss Attila the Hun here is a teacher who is married to a writer who cannot walk.

Anyhow, I like the message with this story. How love can overcome everything and how it overcome the control from Seed.

Down in the Darkness-3/5

This one is about a couple who owns a restaurant and recently bought a house at Laguna Beach from a Vietnamese refugee. The husband named Jess (originally Jesus because he is a 2nd gen Mexican living in America) discovered a door near the kitchen which leads ten-stories below, but nobody can see it not even her wife only him.

The door leads to a place so dark, it can swallow the light. A place so dark, that it looks like a murk below, as if the lower part was filled with a pool of oil.

Good, creepy story.

Ollie’s Hands - 4/5

This is about a guy who has a powerful hand. Hands that can heal, and seems like it can do magic. Such hands. But this great gift of hands seems like a curse to him and he doesnt want anybody to find out, because he has been hurt before because of the gift.

Nice but sad at the same time.

Snatcher - 3/5

This is about a “snatcher”. He treats “snatching” not as a living or out of desperation but more on because it is his pleasure. One time, he snatched a big, heavy purse from an old woman. The purse contains a devil.

Seems more like “down in the darkness” with the emphasis of someone who has the “gift of hands” like Ollie’s in a different way.. and that is “snatching”.

Trapped - 4/5

This one is a story about an experiment going mad. Biolomech Labs is involved in an intelligence-enhancement experiment.This experiment, seeks to discover if lower species, like rats for example could be genetically altered to breed other rats with increased brain power, and hoping to discover how to use it and enhance human intelligence.

Now, here’s the sitch: The rats were soo smart…. they organized their own escape. The rats despite their intelligence, were hostile. Its now up to the Biolomech team to recover and kill the rats before they breed and outnumber the human race.

I kinda liked the story… havent read anything about lab-rats-gone-mad. Too bad it’s a short story.

Bruno - 4/5

This one is somehow like back-to-the-future thingy…but it’s the future who visited the 90’s timeline and it’s somehow like some private-eye .

Bruno is a bear, and not a little Teddy but he is 6 feet four coming from another timeline or what Bruno calls “probability”. In Bruno’s timeline, shortly after world war two, washing out a lot of people, but science survived. In order to survive the race they have to stimulate human intelligence and dexterity to lower species - like bears for that matter.

In Bruno’s timeline, Spielberg is the father of space travel, Disney are gun makers (and creating amazing guns at that), Smith&Wesson the gun makers of the timeline were breadmakers. How cool is that, or should I say funny ?

Bruno is after Graham Stone, considered to be very dangerous. Graham Stone is not from another timeline but in fact an out-of-the-earth thing - an alien. Bruno is a probability police and his mission was to eradicate Graham Stone.

Nice story. Fun. Unique. Thrilling.

We Three - 3/5

This one is about the 10yearold triplets who killed the entire human race including their parents claiming they are the new species of new culture, new emotions, new rules, new hopes, new dreams and all that.

Pretty weird.. and hanging.

Hardshell - 3/5

Some cop-villain story but it would surprise you in the middle because it turned out the cop and the villain are both out-of-this-world species.

Kittens - 4/5

Kittens was said to be Dean Koontz’s first short story to be sold, it was written when he was in college and won awards.

This story is about a girl who had a female cat who gave birth to a litter of kittens…. and one day the kittens disappeared.

Twisted…. better read it…. but somehow a predictable ending.

The Night of The Storm - 3/5

This is about a time when robots ruled the world and humans were just myths to them and nothing more.

Twilight of the Dawn - 3/5

This is about a man named Pete Fallon who is an Atheist and he tried to raise his kid Benny without ever introducing or accepting any religious thought in the house.

This is about his struggle of being against religion…. and never succumbing and treats it like a disease….

When his son… got bone cancer… and eventually died….. he is about to realize that life has a meaning, a purpose and that there is an afterlife as well.

Chase - 4/5

This one is a novel-length story about a man named Ben Chase who was awarded a Medal of Honor when he returned after Vietnam.

But there are deeper reasons why he remained to be the way he is….until he become another-hero-of-the-day and stopped one murderer from killing a girl in the woods.. and his life began to change…

Minority Report 2002

OVERVIEW and SUMMARY of Minority Report

Category: Movies Genre: Sci-Fi Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Tagline: The Future Can Be Seen. Murder Can be Prevented. The Guilty Punished Before the Crime is Committed. The System is Perfect. It’s Never Wrong. Until It Comes After You.

I know this was shown 5 years ago… but I only got the chance to watch it today.

A sci-fi film based on a short story with the same title by Philip K. Dick, set in Washington D.C., year 2054 where there is a special police crime department called “Pre-Crime”, which prevents murders from happening through the efforts of three psychics or genetically-altered humans called “pre-cogs”.

For years, DC had trouble over crimes and when the system(Pre-crime) was enforced, the crime rate went down to 90%. The system worked perfectly.. there hasn’t been a murder for 6 years..

These pre-cogs relate only the time and date of the murder, the murderer’s and the victim’s name. The rest of the facts and clues would be from the vision

It’s actually a great movie….I like the message of the movie…

Even if you know your future… you can always change it. Just like in dreams.. dreams are warnings.. or they show us what will happen… but with a certain shifting of emotions or choices… you can change it.

Fear Street: Cataluna Chronicles - Deadly Fire - R.L. Stine

OVERVIEW and SUMMARY of Fear Street: Cataluna Chronicles - Deadly Fire by R.L. Stine

Category: Books

Genre: Mystery & Thriller

Author: R.L. Stine

The third and last series of the Cataluna Chronicles. It’s a story about a “Doom Car” which is the Cataluna car which is actually inhabited by Bad Luck Catherine.

Another fast read and thrilling R.L. Stine Fear Street Series.

The Mediator - #4 Darkest Hour - Meg Cabot

Summary & REVIEW of The Mediator - # Darkest Hour by Meg Cabot

Category: Books
Genre: Love
Author: Meg Cabot

A Cabot book is a fun read and a fast one at that. You can finish half day…. minus the work. Maybe 3 hours tops.. you’d be done and over with the book.

The good humor nature of the book, the not-so-big-words she use helps how fast you can read a Cabot book.

This is the first of the Mediator series I bought and read… (I actually did not know it was a series after I read it. Why on earth would I buy the #4 if it’s a series? rawr) Anyway, it’s fun… now I want to read the rest of Cabot’s Mediator series.

Fun Fun Fun plus ghosts… yay.