The Mists of Avalon
(book review)

Man, this book was nothing short of amazing. You don't have to be a fan of Arthurian lore to enjoy what Marion Zimmer Bradley has given us. A book of fantasy, and realism combined with truth, love, honor, faith and hope.

The author has a way of making her readers get deeply involved with her characters. I cared for Morgaine and hated her all at the same time. I understood completely why she did what she did and was still mad about it. I admired and pitied Lancelet. He was a tremendous hero and athlete and very well respected among his peers. He was simply the greatest and most honorable knight ever and yet... how sad that his one true love, his soulmate, Gwenhwyfar, could never, ever, be his. To have her and betray the love he shared with his best friend and king, Arthur, hurt him more deeply than any sword could ever do.

Marion Zimmer Bradley really captured the essence of the struggle between the "new" religion, christianity, and the older , more sensible, spiritual ways of Avalon and the Goddess. The book "Conversations with God" kept coming to mind the more I read. Very similiar ideals."All the Gods are One God" is the final lesson of this story. No matter what different names are given for them, they are all one in the same. This is what Morgaine finally learns after all her years of struggle and this revelation gives her her... peace.

Excellent story. Expressed through the eye's of the key women in during the era of King Arthur. It never falters. Makes you anxious for the next page and leaves you sad when you are finished.

Casino Royale
(film review)

I saw a sneak preview of this film. One word... AMAZING. It is the type of Bond film all Bond fans have been waiting for. No more cute, wink wink, laugh out loud unbelievable moments we've all grown tired of. What Casino Royale did was make a very real film, with real life consequences and added a crap load of action. Awesome!!!

Daniel Craig has taken the Bond character and ran away with it. I never saw a more believeable Bond character since the early films of Sean Connery. Ian Flemming's intentions and spirit for the story and character was taken into major consideration and the results were nothing but positive.

Daniel Craig takes the Bond character to his early days before he is granted the infamous double O status. Casino Royale's Bond is an unrefined, reckless, unpolished, aggressive, injury prone, cold blooded killer. In essence, a raw piece of meat, that as the film goes on and he gains more experience becomes this prime piece of sirloin. All the Bond signatures we've all come to love and expect are not a part of Bond's nature, but gradually falls into place at the right moments through his experiences. The journey it took to get there is the most fun to watch.

What makes Bond such a fan favorite in the past was the way the writers and directors romanticized the character. Bond always had the best gadgets (toys), cool clothes, money, he travelled, women galore, he was smooth, he could fight and play a mean game of cards. Who wouldn't want to be him?

Casino Royale took it one step further and said, "What kind of man emotionally would it take to be a double O agent and what are the dangers involved in such an exciting career?" Casino Royale's Bond is bruised, bloodied, beaten, stabbed, poisoned and tortured in several occasions. He walks around half the film covered in scabs and scars. He is detached from his feelings and makes a clear statement how he prefers married women because it is less complicated. With no family and friends, he truly is a man alone with nothing to live for, which makes him the perfect candidate for a double O agent.

I have not given away too much of the plot, for it is better for all Bond fans to see Casino Royale and experience it for one's self. It's one of the best Bond film to come out in decades and ranks in my top 2 or 3 of James Bond films of all time.

A quick note... it is important to remember that this story is supposed to be about Bond before he become the James Bond we all know and love. It's his first time being a double O agent. This is why the writers took liberties with the opening gun barrel scene, the vodka martini, the Aston Martin, and the infamous "Bond, James Bond". I found it a great choice to a very old and established character. We get to see how Bond becomes Bond. Think "Batman Begins", which was another great film.

Spider-Man: Kraven's Last Hunt
(comic book review)

I have so much I want to say about "Kraven's Last Hunt". What an amazing book. Worthy of being compared to "The Dark Knight Returns" graphic novel. Spider-Man has always been a fun character. He jokes and plays around frequently while fighting and defeating his many villans. Kraven is different. Each loss was shocking and disturbing and heartfelt for him. As each loss accumulated, his mind reeled and fought taking him to the point of obsession and madness.

Kraven literally lost his mind. A proud man of honor and integrity who is continually humbled and humiliated by Spider-Man. He can't even accept the fact that Spider-Man is actually a man but some mystical unbeatable being who he calls "the spider". "No MAN could of done what you have done to Kraven", he says during one of his drug induced ritiuals.

We are taken into Kraven's disturbing world. Allowed to look into his disturbed soul and in a strange but sad way, you can sympathize with him. Even understand why he does all he does to include his very final desperate act.

Read the story from cover to cover and then read it a second time. Only, this time, read it through the mind of Kraven. Read only his captions. His thoughts alone is a remarkable story. Everyone I have suggested this to have all agreed.

Kraven was never this intricate a character in previous Spider-Man stories. I absolutely love it and I will miss him. Kraven was more than just a super villan hellbent on destruction. He was a man of pride and honor who lived and died as such.

Conversations with God : Books 1-3
(book review)

Great book... Great book... Great book...

Thought provoking... Meaningful... Enlightening... Deep... Life changing...

Conversations with God makes sense and is very logical. God is in you. The relationship you have with Him is personal and different from everyone elses. I repeat... "Different from everyone elses."

It is up to YOU, with God's guidance, to change your life and to live in a more positive, enlightened, stress free, calm, happy, guilt free, confident and spiritual existence. All the tools are right there in front of you.

I feel many people will shun this book out of fear, but I truly believe that with an open mind and if you are honest with yourself, you will begin to see the light.

Give this book a chance and then judge for yourself. The key phrase is... "JUDGE YOURSELF, NOT OTHERS". Everyone on this planet is different and have their own special relationship with God, whatever it may be. Hopefully, people will learn to respect others and honor their spiritual decisions.

Inspired By You
(book review)

A single mom bears her heart and soul in this amazingly deep, spiritual poetry book. All poems were written by her from the young age of ten until present day. A very interesting perspective on love and life coming from one who began writing as a young child on through adulthood and eventually becoming a mother.

All original drawings in "Inspired By You" were all drawn by the authors young child, Shylee. Clearly, a very talented child with a special gift. Her beautiful photos adds depth and insight to each upcoming chapter's topics.

The final two chapters are very fun, spicy and clearly for grownups. A provocative take on relationships from a man's point of view as well as a womans. Enticing photos of our author, Lori, in various sexy poses, help give the final chapters its sizzle.

For someone like myself who does not read poetry all that often, I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed "Inspired By You". I see the book more as lyrical poetry. Someone should see about putting music behind Lori's words.

The childs drawings were excellent. The authors sexy poses were simply... SEXY!!! The book would make an excellent gift to friends and family.

The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank
(comic book review)

I have been a huge Punisher fan for years. Collected every comic and loved all the stories. Now, they were at times only just okay stories and sometimes boringly repetitive. I always hoped for an infusion of sorts to bring a great character back to the forefront.

With this new Punisher rendition, "Welcome Back, Frank", all I can say is YES!!!

It's a very dark, yet very funny portrayal of Frank Castle. No nonsense. Lots of killings of some really bad bad guys in sometimes very humorous ways. I laughed like crazy during the zoo killings. Exactly how I would have expected The Punisher to act towards the evil.

His confrontation with Daredevil was epic. Ole' hornhead never thought he'd find himself in that position. Talk about a mind screw to the max. Awesome.

I highly recommend this book for old fans and definitely the new ones. Don't know how many times I have read it, but I laugh every time. Welcome Back, Frank.

Poltergeist
(film and book review)

Books are usually better than movies. The same can be said for this one, but not by much. The book added some much needed depth that the film should have used. Another level of creepiness, this time seen from the other realm and it's ghosts.

The film did a great job of keeping it's viewers creeped out with all the horror, ghosts and kidnapping of a Carol Anne. Good special effects, even for an early 1980's film. The crawling meat, the guy ripping the skin off his face, and the climactic ending were very well done. Poltergeist is one of my all time favorite horror films.

I enjoyed the acting immensley. Heather O'Rourke was such an extremely cute child. I can still see her cute image in the Rams football helmet as she slides across the kitchen floor, as she is asking for pepperoni pizza. Fun stuff. JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson played the distraught, frightened parents. Their chemistry together was very believeable.

Tangina plays a huge part in the book, unlike the film where she appears only at the very end, and is only there because she was asked by the ghost hunters. The book has Tangina constantly dream about the "other side" and it's ghostly occupants. She eventually sees 5 year old Carol Anne lost in this other realm, and the dreams takes on another level of realism for her. She know understands that the little girl must be rescued. To make matters worse, she knows that she must confront the guardian of the realm; the beast. A creature who wanders the Freeling family home regularly without being seen. Very cool creepy visual.

I was freaked out on many occasions reading "Poltergeist". The part with the beast and describing it's thoughts and how it is filled with a venomness hates really got to me. The battle between the beast and the psychic Tangina in the other realm is epic. There is even a part in the book where the beast buries his horns in Tangina's eyes. Wow! It would have been great if the film, even slightly, delved into the other relam.

Bottom line, both book and film are great. Both are highly recommended.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
(film review)

Ricardo Montalban made this movie for me. He played Khan, a severely revenge minded, slightly psychotic individual hellbent on destroying his enemy/nemesis, James T. Kirk. Almost, literally, playing the part of Captain Ahab from the classic tale, "Moby Dick", who is obsessed with destroying the white whale (Kirk). Montalban's great performance, I felt, helped push the other lead actors to perform to their fullest potential.

Shatner did a great job even though, he actually never acted in the same room with Momtalban. It was his best performance of all the Star Trek films.

The dialogue between all the characters, especially all the classic literature quotes, was written and performed beautifully. "Revenge is a dish best served cold", an amazing line and delivered beautifully by Moltalban as he blasts the Enterprise with phasers. The final space battle is epic.

The death of a prominent Star Trek character at the end of the film was definitely a surprise when the film first aired. It added a lot to the feel of the story.

The film had a great story line and non stop action between two bitter rivals. I do recommend this film to all, Trekkies or not.

It
(book review)

Stephen King's book, "IT", is to me about one word... friendship. Long lasting, undying, deep, gratifying, caring, heartfelt friendship. The kind of friendship that even if years pass without any real kind of contact, you can meet again and continue as if no time had passed at all.

The members of the "Losers Club met under strange and sometimes dire circumstances but, formed a bond that could never be broken. They shared deep and sometimes frightening secrets. They looked after one another and stayed strong together fighting a supernatural inhuman evil being in "Pennywise the Clown" who wanted them all dead.

"IT" had me very scared all three times I read the novel. How could it not? Werewolves chasing you while you race away on a bike. Horrid eerie voices coming from sewers and drains. Mummies and vampires and gigantic spiders. Maybe the worst is pictures in a photo album coming to life and trying to reach out and grab you. Despite all it's horrors, that can scare just about anyone, especially children, I found the kids growing attachment and need for one another, inspite of all their differences, most memorable. At times touching. Maybe the saddest truth of the novel is the "growing up" into adults and having lost your childhood innocence.

Stephen King definitely hit a homerun with this fictional horror, yet very real human story. I give it the highest recommendation.