For Fringe Fans

For Fans of "Fringe", here are links to sites loaded with extra-cool goodies to keep your head swimming for days (or till the next episode): 

Recommended links:

 Official Site
 Fringe 101
 Fox YouTube
 Past+Present+Future (For New and Advanced FRINGE Watchers)
 Facebook
 Twitter
 FRINGEPEDIA
 Fringe on Hulu

Google Plus Fan Site

Wikipedia Fringe

"Grimm" - Raves and Rants

"Grimm"...I'm not sure what to think anymore about this show. Call me stupid (I'm sure some will) but I just don't "get" the deal about the different creatures. Only a Grimm is supposed to be able to see the creature's true nature, how they really look, right? So, are you telling me that all these different creatures cloak or mask themselves against humans? No human, except for those of the Grimm heritage, can see the actual creature. All they see is another regular, average "Joe" or "Jane" going about their business. It's one thing if one type of creature (or maybe a few) are able to mask (conceal, cloak - what do you call it?!) themselves, but ALL the MANY varieties have that ability?

I don't know. I guess it's like werewolves and vampires who can look completely human and if they choose, can also transform into their scary-looking version of themselves.

Another rant I have about "Grimm" - When each episode begins, a few sentences are thrown on the screen to be quickly read by the viewer. The lines are from one of the Grimms' fairy tales that relate to the story you're about to watch. The problem is, my husband and I will look at each other and try desperately to figure out WHICH fairy tale the few lines are actually referring to. Of course, as the show proceeds, you get your answer, but I wish under those few lines it would reference the related fairy tale right from the start.

Other thoughts: Nick's fiancee, Juliette, is starting to snoop around and you'd think at some point she's going to figure out Nick's unique "Grimm" talent or he's going to tell her about it. Same for Nick's detective partner. 

My raves about "Grimm": How cool is Aunt Marie's trailer? It's jam-packed with old books that explain about the different creatures, weapons of all sorts for fighting the bad dudes, magic potions, mystical kick-butt thingys, and stuff we have yet to learn about!

Also, I love Monroe. Sorry other characters - but Monroe is the star of the show. On the January 20th episode, it seems the creature community isn't thrilled that Monroe is helping Nick - a Grimm - and in turn beat the crap out of him (Monroe). A scythe symbol drawn in blood on Monroe's car translates into Reapers of the Grimm. Not good for Nick...or Monroe helping him with his detective cases. But the beer bottle toast between the two seal the deal that they are buddies and Monroe ain't backing down. He'll be better prepared next time...Yes!

Here is a list of Grimms' Fairy Tales found at:
All Family Resources

The Frog King, or Iron Henry Our Lady's Child The Story of a Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids Faithful John The Good Bargain The Twelve Brothers Brother and Sister Rapunzel The Three Little Men in the Wood The Three Spinners Hansel and Grethel (called Gretel in this version) The Three Snake-Leaves The White Snake The Valiant Little Tailor Cinderella The Riddle Mother Holle The Seven Ravens Little Red-Cap The Singing Bone The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs The Girl Without Hands Clever Hans The Three Languages Clever Elsie The Wishing-Table, The Gold-Ass, and The Cudgel in the Sack Thumbling The Elves (two stories) The Robber Bridegroom The Godfather Frau Trude Godfather Death Thumbling as Journeyman Fitcher's Bird The Juniper-Tree Old Sultan The Six Swans Little Briar-Rose Fundevogel King Thrushbeard Little Snow-White The Knapsack, The Hat, and The Horn Rumpelstiltskin Sweetheart Roland The Golden Bird The Two Brothers The Queen Bee The Three Feathers The Golden Goose Allerleirauh The Hare's Bride The Twelve Huntsmen The Thief and His Master The Three Sons of Fortune How Six Men Got On in the World Gossip Wolf and the Fox The Pink The Old Man and His Grandson The Water-Nix Brother Lustig Hans in Luck Hans Married The Gold-Children The Singing, Soaring Lark The Goose-Girl The Young Giant The Elves (another story with that title) The King of the Golden Mountain

The Raven The Peasant's Wise Daughter The Three Little Birds The Water of Life The Spirit in the Bottle The Devil's Sooty Brother Bearskin The Willow-Wren and the Bear Sweet Porridge Wise Folks Stories About Snakes (called paddocks in this version) The Poor Miller's Boy and the Cat The Two Travellers Hans the Hedgehog The Shroud The Skilful Huntsman The Two Kings' Children The Cunning Little Tailor The Bright Sun Brings It to Light The Blue Light The Wilful Child The King's Son Who Feared Nothing Donkey Cabbages The Old Woman in the Wood The Three Brothers The Devil and His Grandmother Ferdinand the Faithful The Iron Stove The Four Skilful Brothers One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes Fair Katrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces The Six Servants The White Bride and the Black One Iron John The Three Black Princesses Knoist and His Three Sons The Maid of Brakel Domestic Servants The Lambkin and the Little Fish Simeli Mountain Going A-Travelling The Donkey The Ungrateful Son The Turnip The Old Man Made Young Again The Three Sluggards The Shepherd Boy The Star-Money The Stolen Farthings Brides On Their Trial The Sparrow and His Four Children Snow-White and Rose-Red The Glass Coffin Lazy Harry The Griffin Strong Hans The Hut in the Forest The Goose-Girl at the Well Eve's Various Children The Nix of the Mill-Pond The Poor Boy in the Grave The True Sweetheart The Spindle, The Shuttle, and The Needle The Sea-Hare The Master-Thief The Drummer The Ear of Corn Old Rinkrank

The Crystal Ball Maid Maleen St. Joseph in the Forest The Twelve Apostles The Rose Poverty and Humility Lead to Heaven God's Food The Three Green Twigs The Aged Mother The Hazel-Branch Cat and Mouse in Partnership The Wonderful Musician The Pack of Ragamuffins The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean The Fisherman and His Wife The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage The Bremen Town-Musicians The Louse and the Flea The Tailor in Heaven The Wedding of Mrs. Fox (two stories) The Elves (one more story) Herr Korbes The Dog and the Sparrow Frederick and Catherine The Little Peasant Jorinda and Joringel The Wolf and the Man The Wolf and the Fox The Fox and the Cat Clever Grethel (called Gretel in this version) The Death of the Little Hen Gambling Hansel The Fox and the Geese The Poor Man and the Rich Man Old Hildebrand Doctor Knowall The Jew Among Thorns The Flail from Heaven The Three Army-Surgeons The Seven Swabians The Three Apprentices The Lazy Spinner The Fox and the Horse The Lord's Animals and the Devil's The Beam The Old Beggar-Woman Odds and Ends (called hurds in this version) The Story of Schlauraffen Land The Ditmarsch Tale of Wonders A Riddling Tale The Wise Servant The Peasant in Heaven Lean Lisa Sharing Joy and Sorrow The Willow-Wren The Sole The Bittern and the Hoopoe The Owl The Moon The Duration of Life Death's Messengers Master Pfriem The Little Folks' Presents The Giant and the Tailor The Nail The Hare and the Hedgehog The Peasant and the Devil The Crumbs on the Table The Grave-Mound The Boots of Buffalo-Leather The Golden Key

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" - And Now I Am!

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" DVD promo

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" - August 26, 2011 (USA)-released in theaters. DVD Release Date: January 3, 2012. Rated R, 99 min - Fantasy | Horror | Thriller.
Ratings: 5.7 out of a 10 from 11,943 voters at Internet Movie Database.

Brief Synopsis:A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own.

Stars: Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce and Bailee Madison.

Official Movie Trailer - "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark".
Official Movie Clip - "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark".
Official Movie Website: - "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark."

We jumped several times watching this movie. The special effects are great for the little creatures. I kept trying to figure out exactly WHAT they were...the body shape, size, etc. The DVD has special features that you definitely need to view to learn more about the house, the creatures, the original movie, etc.

I dug up some info about the original...
Released in 1973 on TV, Unrated, 74 min, 6.9 out of a 10 rating.

Stars: Kim Darby, Jim Hutton and Barbara Anderson.

 

TRIVIA (from current movie):

>The runes carved into the stone over the furnace that the creatures live down spells out "Be Afraid" in Elder Futhark.

>Appropriately set in Providence, RI as that was the home of H.P. Lovecraft who wrote the story "The Rats in the Walls" which apparently inspired this film.

>Guillermo del Toro (Writer for film): he played a cameo as a passenger on the plane, sitting behind Sally.

>Plot hole:  While supposedly alone, the worker is slashed, beaten and stabbed to the point of near death. Yet nobody once questions how this "accident" could have happened or how he managed to end up with scissors sticking out of his neck.

 

Love this stuff!!

 

 

"The Devil Inside" - Raking in Bucks with Mixed Reviews



The Devil Inside Movie Poster Promo

"The Devil Inside" (2012),  Rated R,  87 min - Horror | Thriller -  January 6, 2012 (USA) in theaters.

Ratings: 3.8 out of a 10 from 2,433 voters at Internet Movie Database.

Brief Synopsis:

In Italy, a woman becomes involved in a series of unauthorized exorcisms during her mission to discover what happened to her mother, who allegedly murdered three people during her own exorcism.

Stars: Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman and Evan Helmuth.

"The Devil Inside" Official Movie Trailer.

Movie Clip HERE.

Wow! The bulletin boards have been jerking this movie all over - "love it!", "hate it!", "not bad, but not high up there on my favorite list." (Isn't that the case for all movies though? Yeah, but the chatter has been quite blunt and the number of people commenting is super high.) So, here are tidbits of what I've gathered to give you insight into "The Devil Inside", and to prepare you for watching it...IF you choose to:

The BAD:

>Barely any scary moments, plot holes that left you hanging, the ending was NOT satisfactory, theater booed when credits rolled, tired of documentary style horrors with shaky "realistic" camera movements, dialogue is a bit slow sometimes, all the questions weren't answered, you knew what was coming next, should've saved for Halloween release.

The GOOD:

>Certainly worth a look, the strong intro and scene's involving the possessed/exorcisms are what really make the film worth while, the tone was very scary, will end up with a good cult following, story itself is very good, could easily make a sequel next, acting was pretty good, shroud of mystery was a perfect touch, was entertained and freaked out-what a good horror movie should do to you.

TRIVIA

Here's something to look for when watching the movie or if already watched, think if you recall this:

>When Maria is thrown off the table during her exorcism, one of the cameras shows her heart monitor with her vitals flashing. They should not be reading anything as the throw would have disconnected the wires.

"Fright Night" (DVD) - Entertaining!

Fright Night DVD Movie Poster

This movie was much better than what I had anticipated and expected from a remake in this genre. I cannot recall if I had ever watched the original Fright Night (and neither could my husband) which probably helped or influenced our positive opinion on this movie. #1: My husband didn't fall asleep during it. #2: The humor mixed perfectly with the horror at the right times. #3: The special effects were at times mind-blowing but average during other scenes. #4: We could actually follow a plot - a storyline - without any confusion. And the vampires (especially Jerry!) were entertaining. Here are the details for you vampire and movie-lovers:

Fright Night (2011), R rating, 106 min - Comedy | Horror -  Released August 19, 2011 (USA) in theaters; Released December 13, 2011 on DVD & Blu-ray.

 

Ratings: 6.6 out of a 10 from 22,068 voters on Internet Movie Database.

Official Synopsis:

Meet the sexy new neighbor, Jerry Dandrige (Colin Farrell). He’s dangerously charming – and utterly lethal. That's because he just happens to be a vampire, and out for blood…buckets of it. After high school senior Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) makes the connection between Jerry’s suspicious activity and a steadily rising body count, he vows to end the reign of terror next door. But he can’t do it alone. His only hope is Las Vegas magician/vampireslayer Peter Vincent (David Tennant). Together, this unlikely duo set out to end Jerry's evil rampage. But Jerry is a ruthless, relentless killer, and he’s not going down without a fight. Get set to sink your teeth into this thrilling re-vamp of the terrifying horror classic. Featuring a star-studded cast and crawling with bonus, FRIGHT NIGHT will captivate you from the very first bite!

Stars: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell and David Tennant, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots

 

Official Fright Night Movie Site

 

Official Fright Night Movie Trailer

 

Taglines:   You can't run from evil when it lives next door.

 

Trivia:

>Peter Vincent is named after two horror icons, Peter Cushing and Vincent Price.   
>The club scene originally included a fight between feuding frat boys that was broken up by Jerry with the use of his hypnosis powers. Although the scene was cut, the frat boys can still be seen around the DJ booth when the t-shirts are thrown into the crowd.

>Cameo: 'Chris Sarandon', who played Jerry in the original Fright Night, plays the man who hits the Brewsters' car and ends up bitten by Jerry on the road.   
>Jerry has five stages of makeup, with the last one (when Charley fights in the basement) entirely in CG.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance coming soon

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Movie Poster

A sequel to the original Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage. I am looking forward to this and I imagine my husband will be glued to the screen - he purchased the first movie, if that tells you anything!

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)
PG 13,  Action | Fantasy | Thriller - February 17, 2012 (USA)

Synopsis:

As Johnny Blaze hides out in Eastern Europe, he is called upon to stop the devil, who is trying to take human form.

By day, Johnny is a die-hard stunt rider... but at night, in the presence of evil, he becomes the Ghost Rider, a bounty hunter of rogue demons.
The sequel to the smash-hit comic book adaptation from 2007 that saw Nicolas Cage as a stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze who gives up his soul to become a hellblazing vigilante, to fight against power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself. 
This movie picks up eight years after the first film. It's a bit more stripped down and has a darker tone.

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds and Idris Elba

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2556337689/  Official Movie Trailer

http://www.thespiritofvengeance.com/ Official Movie Site (Warning: you better have high-speed internet access & the latest Adobe Flash, etc. to view this site!)

TRIVIA:

Eva Mendes turned down the option to reprise her role.   
Hide options

The Ghost Rider's skull has been redesigned for this sequel. The new skull appears to be black and charred, indicating that the skull is actually on fire as apposed to the clean fleshless skull simply cloaked in fire in the previous film.

Cool Quotes: [from trailer]
Nadya: I'm not afraid of you.
Johnny Blaze: You should be.

"Bag of Bones" thoughts...

"Bag of Bones" movie poster

Taped "Bag of Bones" by Stephen King to watch at my leisure. Since it was a two night mini-series, totaling four hours (packed solid with sleep-inducing commercials), my husband and I didn't manage to stay awake (mainly hubby) to get through all four hours of it. Most likely tonight we will finish the last two hours.

I find it awkward watching Pierce Brosnan in this movie. Perhaps I keep expecting him to act like James Bond...which the character he portrays is nothing like the scene-stealing, mesmerizing 007.

I have not read the actual novel by Stephen King, so I cannot make comparisons. So far (and I still  have another two hours to watch), I'm not 100% loving the mini-series, but not hating it either. Average, I'd say, using many common scare tactics and nothing mind-blowing with the plot. Then again, as I've said before, everything has already been done - movies, books, etc.

I am confused (which doesn't take much) with portions of the storyline, although that is also what keeps me watching to find out what happens next. Definitely mysterious...And what's with Pierce/Mike Noonan kissing 3 different women in like 3 minutes?! OK...so he was dreaming! And let's not forget that two of those women were dead! And did his wife (dead) get pregnant by him or someone else? And what's with the one movie trailer showing the little girl immersed in the lake and her mouth opens and I swear I see fangs?!? Fine...I'll have to hit the Play on my tape tonight to get my answers - at least I better get answers! I despise movies that end with tons of UNanswered questions and new mysteries thrown in our faces as we sit on our couches saying, "Huh?!"

I've read reviews on Internet Movie Database and "Bag of Bones" has been ripped apart with many critical comments. Viewers who read the novel especially were not pleased with changes made to the movie. With the Stephen King name plastered everywhere, people expected better quality. I'm not sure that I'll post on the second half of the movie. We'll see...I don't want to bore you :)

If interested in the official website, click here. (Very interactive, best viewed with high-speed connection.)

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (DVD)

Amazon Link

I absolutely LOVED this movie! I don't care if someone says they hated it to my face or thought it was so-so because to me it doesn't matter - (and that is a rare statement from me as I'm always worried about what other people think) I say again - I LOVED "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"!!!

I'm also a huge fan of the entire "Planet of the Apes" movie franchise. Over the summer my husband and I watched all the original movies filmed/created way back starting in 1968. I purchased through Amazon the "Planet of the Apes" Legacy Collection. I'll admit, a few of the movies in between the first one and the last one were a tad weak and even bordering on weird...but we watched and absorbed all the good with the bad.

Link to Amazon for Legacy Collection.

Official Synopsis for "Rise of the Planet of the Apes":
During experiments to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease, a genetically-enhanced chimpanzee uses its greater intelligence to lead other apes to freedom.

Here's the official movie trailer link.

Click HERE for an official movie clip.

From Internet Movie Database:
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011)
Stars: James Franco, Andy Serkis and Freida Pinto

PG13 - 105 min - Action | Drama | Sci-Fi - August 5, 2011 (USA)

Ratings: 7.7 score out of a 10 from 95,903 voters

Back to my thoughts: It was exciting to see tie-ins to the older movies; an example: the water hose scene -- in the old movie, the human was blasted with the water vs. in this new one, it was the ape. The facial expressions and emotions of the apes (mainly Caesar) completely ripped open my own heart and played with my feelings. Several times I found myself crying. Throughout the movie, I kept making connections to the original films, so anyone who is a major fan and remembers and loves those old movies, will be thrilled watching this new one. Clues or even full-blown explanations are presented about what humans did...what caused the end of life as we know it now. If you can recall important "Planet of the Apes" plot details and the storylines from the old movies, then this new "Rise..." works out perfectly and makes sense. Even if a viewer didn't watch or doesn't remember any of the old movies (which would be a shame, but) they should still enjoy "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" for the engaging plot, the awesome & realistic special effects, of course what it does to mess with your emotions plus realizing what the consequences are when things go terribly wrong with lab experiments.

'Breaking Dawn' shines bright at theaters

Yes, I've read all 4 books in the Twilight Saga, and the Bree Tanner one, and have the Twilight Companion book and purchased the DVDs as they've become available. I congratulate Stephenie Meyer on her success! Oh, and I've also read her other book, 'The Host' which is supposed to be made into a movie, too. And now onto the 'Breaking Dawn' excitement:

'Breaking Dawn - Part 1' is #1 for third box office weekend in a row. Since its Nov. 18 release, it's made $247.3 million, of which that number is increasing as we speak! 

I love trivia! Here's some fun stuff (credits to www.imdb.com):

>According to Bella and Edward's wedding invitations, the address of the Cullen residence is listed as 420 Woodcroft Ave Forks, WA.   
>Kristen Stewart has said in an interview that filming Bella and Edward's honeymoon sex scene was very awkward, and that by the end of the shoot, she didn't even feel like they had just filmed a passionate scene.
>Robert Pattinson went through a strict diet and exercise regime for six months in preparation before filming. He stopped his routine after filming the much-talked-about sex scene.
>Stephenie Meyer, the author, has a cameo role as a wedding guest. She can be seen as Bella walks down the aisle.
>One of the key elements in both the book and the movie was is how Edward tries to distract Bella with activities in order to keep her from thinking about having sex again. In the movie, one of the activities is a game of chess, with both red and white pieces, just like the pieces on the cover of the book.
> Shortly after the credits roll there is an additional scene. (There is no extra scene at the very end of the credits.)
>Edward and Bella are vacationing on Isle Esme and are seen playing chess in broad day light under no cover of trees and Edward is not shown to be sparkling.
 
Taglines: Forever is only the beginning.

Official Movie Trailer
Official Website

Here's a very cool site: http://www.eonline.com/news/vampires  Hollywood's Hottest Undead & Total Twilight coverage. Oops, I need to go back and bookmark that site to indulge my fondness for vampires! (and look for a similar site to entertain my passion for werewolves!)

Author Site Down for a Day

My author site address: www.ginamarielong.com may be down for a day or so as I transfer/redirect the domain name to my blog:  http://www.ginamarielong.blogspot.com . I've tossed out my original author website hosted by Microsoft in favor of using the Blogger site as my permanent author website because of massive changes Microsoft will be enforcing come about February. I've spent the last few days spiffing up the new official author site (copy/pasting, uploading, arranging, trying to figure out the redirecting process, etc.). The blogspot address will still be functional, too. Just wanted to update in case you couldn't access www.ginamarielong.com over the next day or so. Thanks!