A Series Of (Un)Fortunate Reviews

Poltergeist is a remake of the film by the same name; the remake stars Rosemarie DeWitt, Sam Rockwell, Jared Harris, and Jane Adams.  I haven't seen the original movie, so I'm only reviewing (and judging) the remake.  If you've seen both the original and the remake, I'd love to hear thoughts on the two movies in the comments. Following the father's job layoff, the Bowen family, including their three children, move in to what turns out to be (unbeknownst to them until it is too late to do anything about it) the haunted house from hell.  From the moment this family sets foot in the new house, it's clear that things are not right with the house.  The youngest Bowen child, Madison, is talking to 'imaginary friends' that you know are not imaginary friends, and the closet doors in her room stick and refuse to open.  Hair raising static electricity is prevalent at different spots in the house, and soon physical manifestations become terrifyingly common pla...

This review is slightly out of season, but I watch Christmas movies out of season, so to me it's not a big deal to review a book about Hanukkah when it's not Hanukkah.   Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon and illustrated by Mark Siegel is a lovely story about the grace of humanity that still exists during scary times. It's 1938, and it's the seventh night of Hanukkah and also Christmas eve when Oskar arrives in New York City to live with an aunt he has never met.  Oskar believed in blessings until Kristallnacht (or the Night of Broken Glass on November 9, 1938, in Germany), an event that forces Oskar's parents to send their son to safety in New York City.  When Oskar disembarks from his ship, he must walk from the port down Broadway to his aunt's house at the other end of the city.  Along the way the kindness of the people that Oskar meets restores his faith in blessings.  And he is shown that his father is right--people can be g...

It's been years since we've reviewed music here on the blog, so you're in for a treat today because our guest reviewer, Miss Shayne, has reviewed some music.  For the last music review that was posted to the blog, please click here .  To read Miss Shayne's 2015 Staff Picks, click here . When I first heard Sia, it was her song “Chandelier” on the radio.  I initially thought the song was great.  A few months after that, I heard her song “Elastic Heart,” and I was blown away.  With an amazing voice like that, and complex lyrics like those, how could I not be?  Where did this woman come from, and how had I not heard of her before?!  My love for Sia’s voice only grew once I heard her sing “Chandelier” live on Saturday Night Live .  So when I saw her album in the store, I had to have it. I only recognized the two songs that I had heard on the radio on this album, so I admit I took a risk when I bought this album.  I hadn’t even researched ...