BOOK REVIEW: The Bhagavad Gita by Anonymous

 

This is classic Hindu literature that is actually part of a larger work called Mahabharata. It is the narrative of a conversation between an Indian prince and the god Krishna, and is written in poetic form. It puts forward the duality of the individual self and the god self within each being, and the concept of reincarnation. It also asks its adherents to meditate solely to lose their individuality and embody only the god self, with absence of all emotion or desire.

While I respect this book as being extremely important to the Hindu religion and its followers, I have a problem with the idea of paradise being premised on the total loss of the individual. In my opinion, how can one look forward to a time of bliss when all ability to enjoy it has been taken away? Isn’t paradise supposed to be the one place where someone can be happy and contented, not an emotionless lump that simply sits and accepts their surroundings or is merely an infinitely small part of a greater whole? The individual has to be whole and complete to be able to fully appreciate a state of being where conflict and suffering are absent. For this reason, I still prefer a God that accepts the full individual and loves them just as they are without any meditation or work on their part needed.

MOVIE REVIEW: Behemoth

 

This is a 2011 film about a monster that lives in a mountain and the people from the small town nearby that find themselves in a fight to stop it from destroying the world. Concentrated on one family in particular, this has strong mythological links, including a man who, like the legendary Cassandra, tries to warn those around him that something terrible is about to happen but is largely ignored. The special effects are really good and the screenplay, especially building up to the first complete sighting of the monster, is very well done. But the real gem of this is William B. Davis, who made his mark playing the Cancer Man in the television series X-Files, as the pathetic, haunted college professor who is the only one who believes that horrible things are about to happen and is not listened to, even by his own family, because of his recent bout with depression following his wife's death. Made for the small screen, this has no erotica, very little strong language, and no gore. For anyone looking for a decent monster movie to show the kids on family night, this is it.

BOOK REVIEW: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

 

This is the fifth book of the Narnia series of books about a magical land where a huge Lion presides over talking animals and mythological creatures. Into this land four brothers and sisters have been taken to rid the land of evil and become its royalty. This story, however, takes place in the land of Calormen, which is to the south of Narnia, and involves a young boy who runs away from the fisherman who raised him rather than be sold as a slave. With him is a Talking Horse that was stolen from Narnia when it was young, and together they find themselves the only ones who can warn the Narnians that Calormen is about to attack them. In the process they learn their own worth and a little humility.

Though fifth to be published, this is chronologically the third story in the timeframe of Narnia. The author was best known as one of the leading Christian apologists in the 20th century and this novel has definite Christian overtones. However, it is also a great adventure story as a boy who has never had anything in his life, not even love, finds he is more than he ever dreamed he could be. With enough action and tense moments to keep the reader spellbound, this is a definite must for fantasy fans and young people of all ages.

MOVIE REVIEW: Stardust

 

In the town of Wall there is a border protecting entrance to a magical world. A young man dares to enter that world and meets a beautiful girl. They spend a night together and, nine months later, the baby he fathered is left for him at the portal. Fast forward 18 years, and the child has now grown into a young man. He also dares to enter the magical kingdom to retrieve a fallen star for the girl he wants to marry. Unknown to him, the king of the magical land has decreed that the one of his three sons that can find a lost ruby will be the one to inherit the throne. The fallen star, now a beautiful young woman, holds the ruby, and thus becomes the target for the murderous trio of brothers. Add to this an evil witch who wants to eat the heart of the star to obtain eternal youth, and a gay pirate who captains a ship that sails through the clouds, and you have one great romp of a movie.

Claire Dane stars as the fallen star and Charlie Cox plays the young man, but the real treasure of this film is the supporting cast, which includes Michelle Pfeiffer as the evil witch and Robert De Niro as the gay pirate. While there is plenty of sword and sorcery action in this, as would be expected in a fantasy, there is no erotica (unless you count De Niro dancing around in a tutu) and very little strong language. This is highly recommended for family night, or anyone who just loves a wonderful time at the movies.

BOOK REVIEW: What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do by David Jeremiah

 

The author of this book is a staple on many Christian radio stations and broadcasting networks. Head pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California, and president of a Christian college connected to the church, David Jeremiah is known as a man who faced the reality of his own mortality when, in 1994, he was diagnosed with lymphoma and had to undergo stem cell transplant surgery to save his life. That experience is one he draws on in many of his sermons and his broadcast ministry, Turning Point.

In this book the reader is taken through the book of James, using the scriptures to teach things like what to do when a person is not feeling confident, when even small decisions seem overwhelming, when we are being pressured to do the wrong thing, and other dilemmas that life always seems to put in our paths. I do have to warn anyone who listens to Jeremiah’s radio or television programs on an ongoing basis that this might seem like simply reading a series of his sermons. However, for those who are not familiar with Dr. Jeremiah and are looking for answers to help them through difficult times, this is an excellent read.

MOVIE REVIEW: He Went That Way

 

This is a low-key thriller based on the true story of an animal trainer who had a run in with a serial killer while on a cross country drive.

Starring Zachary Quinto (of Star Trek fame) as Jim and Jacob Elordi as Bobby, the story follows the two on their drive across country after Jim picks up Bobby, who is hitchhiking, only to learn that his young passenger is a homicidal maniac that has already murdered two men. Jim is transporting a trained chimpanzee named Spanky and is able to strike up an uneasy truce with Bobby that will allow Jim to stay alive until they part ways in Chicago. Quinto's character runs a gamut of emotions from stunned terror to grudging respect while Elordi maintains the tension of a seething volcano about to erupt at any moment. While not recommended for children due to some violent hostage scenes, this is still worth the watch, and all the more chilling to know that it actually happened.

BOOK REVIEW: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

 

This is a classic horror novel by what was then a young and surprising author. It concerns a scientist who, consumed with the lust for knowledge, delves into questions that are perhaps best left alone. The result is that, through means left undescribed in the book, he achieves the creation of a being resembling a man. Whether or not this thing has a soul is still debatable even in this century, but the result is a phenomenon that is endowed with reason, speech, and all the emotional aspects of a human. Having been abandoned in horror by its creator, it finds its way to the haunts of mankind and, indirectly, manages to learn about the laws of civilization, only to find that its appearance is so terrifying that it is shunned and abhorred. So, it approaches its creator with the proposition that he create again, but this time the product of the creation will be a companion for the monster. When the scientist refuses, the monster goes on a rampage of vengeance that ends up costing the lives of those dearest to the man who made it.

Told mainly in the first person, and changing points of view from the erstwhile scientist to the monster itself, this is written in the romantic style of early 20th century story telling. The author was a young woman (a novelty at that period in history) who was known for her romantic involvement with a poet and nobleman of the time. The novel was originally turned down by several publishers as being too shocking and violent for the reading public but was eventually put into print. It was an instant success, and it has been told and elaborated upon by everything from Hollywood to other authors writing their own versions of different viewpoints of the story. But the best is still the first. This book holds a hypnotic effect that is difficult to pin down, except to say that it is a moral tale about what may happen when man becomes willing to sacrifice anything to attain his own desires.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Wall

 

This is a 2012 Austrian film about one woman’s struggle to survive when an inexplicable phenomenon isolates her from the rest of the world. It stars Martina Gedeck as the woman and follows the events of her efforts to first find a way out of her predicament, and then her acceptance of it and the fight to provide herself and several animals with the means to live. This is narrated in English with very little actual dialogue, which is in German and supplied with subtitles when it does occur. It has exceptional cinematography and Gedeck supplies a stunning performance. There is no strong language and no erotica, with only one truly violent scene. There are instances of hunting and butchery, but both are only shown as ways of obtaining food. A story of stamina and determination in the face of hopelessness and despair, this one will stay with you long after it is over.

BOOK REVIEW: Dragon Tears by Dean Koontz

 

*This review contains spoilers*

During a typical day on the police force, Harry and Connie, partner detectives, are forced to kill a man who shoots up the diner where they are having lunch. Shortly after, they find themselves in some inexplicable circumstances when a man who can change shape, throw fireballs, and freeze time targets them for death. With no one to depend on but each other, they must find this maniac who uses his psychic powers to destroy.

Koontz has a way of weaving several different points of view, including that of a dog’s, to keep this story moving quite effectively. However, putting a face on evil is another of Koontz’s gifts, and he does a remarkable job in this. I found myself feeling a bit sorry for this villain. Is he a monster? Yes. Is there any other way to stop him than to kill him? No. But this antagonist also turns out to be a 20-year-old young man who was born to a woman who first abused her child invitro by trying all kinds of alternative measures to abort him, and then subjected herself to self-mutilation rather than being faced with the responsibility of raising him. He ends up living with his grandmother, an older woman who might have had some mental issues of her own and growing up in an atmosphere where the only way he could gain attention was to use his unique powers to cause pain. Given that he never had the chance to learn that fear and love are not the same thing, I found this to be a rather tragic bad guy. A good, if somewhat predictable, story is the result. 

MOVIE REVIEW: The Hunters

 

After their parents go missing two brothers find out that their dull, archeologist mom and dad are really warrior scientists, who travel the world searching for mythological artifacts that have to be protected to keep their supernatural powers from falling into the hands of people who would use them for evil. Together with the oldest brother’s ex-girlfriend they set out to find the next one before a man set on world domination can.

This is a made-for-TV movie that stars mostly actors from the small screen, who are all excellent in their parts. Due to its family-oriented origins, there are no erotic scenes and no strong language. There is quite a bit of action violence, but no gore. The script, cinematography, and editing are all first rate, as is the storyline. This is a really good film that seems to set the stage for a sequel, or even a series, and is perfect for family viewing. Highly recommended.

BOOK REVIEW: The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah

 

Vaughn Orr is a successful author with a dark secret. Riley Mays is a college student with an equally turbulent past. When the two meet, they are instantly drawn to each other. But can they find a way to get past their emotional scars and trust the magic of love?

I have been a fan of this author since I read her debut novel, and she definitely does not disappoint in this one. A story of two people who have been drawn together by both their histories and the darkness they unknowingly share, this is a book full of twists, turns, and unexpected consequences of previous choices. But it is also about the power of love, and its ability to look past flaws and mistakes to the heart. A beautiful story and a powerful read, this is one that any romance fan will instantly call one of their favorites.

MOVIE REVIEW: 4 Horsemen: Apocalypse

 

A small team of scientists and their military protectors race against time to stop the eruption of the largest volcano that has ever been discovered. If they fail, it will mean the end of life on Earth. Working against them are strange weather phenomena caused by gases venting into the atmosphere, swarms of locusts driven wild by the same gases, and a new type of fungus that releases spores that drive the victims they infect into murderous frenzies.

The title of this is a little misleading. It could really have been named anything and still been a decent movie. The only appearance that the supernatural horsemen of biblical reference make are during the hallucinations of an infected soldier. The rest is the typical disaster film, a little choppy in the editing department and using voice overs to fill in what was obviously scenes that the independent studio did not have the budget to shoot. The cast consists of actors that have made their careers mainly on the small screen, and this is no exception seeing as how it was sent straight to video upon release. The only thing of note in this is the gender of some of the main characters. The general in charge of the military operation, as well as two of the three scientists, are all women, which is unusual in most movies of this sort but also highly refreshing. There is no eroticism, very little strong language, and, surprisingly, hardly any gore. Good for preteens and up.

BOOK REVIEW: Star Trek: Time Trap by David Dvorkin

 

*This review contains spoilers*

After receiving a distress call, the Enterprise attempts to assist a Klingon vessel that has become stranded in a strange storm in space. Upon beaming over to the ship, Captain Kirk finds himself suddenly thrust into what seems to be the future and under the control of the race that has been his mortal enemies for most of his career. Can he trust his senses and help these New Klingons achieve peace with the Federation?

In the original Star Trek universe, I would put this at a time between the movies Star Trek: The Voyage Home and Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country. Though there is no mention of the original Enterprise’s destruction, there is a reference to Kirk’s memories of being relegated to a desk job and vowing that he would never go back. Though this was published in 1988 (before the sixth film in the franchise was released), it is also somewhat problematic in that it has Kirk having a close relationship with a Klingon woman, a member of a race that the sixth film had him absolutely detesting due to the death of his son. Even though it is later revealed that he is under the influence of some pretty powerful drugs at the time, this is still somewhat unbelievable knowing the character’s obtuseness in such matters.

However, this is a well written and entertaining read. The author is obviously a fan, shown by the references that he makes to episodes of the original series, and he weaves a complex and exciting story. Any Star Trek fan will like this, even with the continuum issues.

MOVIE REVIEW: X

 

In 1979, at the beginning of the home video era, a group of amateur filmmakers rent out a farmhouse on the property of an elderly couple to shoot a pornographic movie. Unfortunately, they fail to inform their erstwhile landlords what they are doing, and when the oldsters find out there is hell to pay.

This stars Mia Goth, a British actress known for her erotic movies, as both the heroine Maxine and the female half of the homicidal couple, Pearl. The storyline in this touches on such things as beauty, aging, and self-worth. However, for everything else it is basically the porno version of the slasher films that were the rage in the last century. In fact, if not for the horror aspects of it, this movie could very well have the same rating as its name. There are multiple scenes of nudity and/or sexual activity, and there is hardly a sentence in it that does not have strong language permeating it. Definitely only for adults, it does provide a certain amount of suspense and speculation as to what is going to happen next. But the moral of the entire thing seems to be that, even if their hair is gray, their eyesight may be failing, and they may have trouble moving around, never, ever underestimate the older generation.

BOOK REVIEW: Planet Z by Kristen Middleton

 

Alex, her parents, and her brother Jimmy all embark on an interstellar mission to find a planet where what is left of the human race can live after their native planet's resources are depleted. Alex is not thrilled about the prospect of going to another world, but she tries to be a sport and accept her fate. What she does not know is that the people around her are not to be trusted, not even the ones she loves the most, and the revelations she discovers on the voyage plunge her into a reality of intrigue and danger.

This is a book told from the perspective of a teenage girl and so obviously targeted at that audience. The chapters are short and some of the details are confusing, but no more so than they would normally be for a person of that age. The premise of the story is good and keeps the interest, with a happy if surprising ending. Good for younger readers who are just getting into the sci-fi genre and looking for a heroine they can relate to.

MOVIE REVIEW: Everything Everywhere All At Once

 

Evelyn Wang is not having a good day. Her business is being audited, her husband has filed for divorce, and she is trying to keep her aged father from finding out that her daughter has just declared herself lesbian. Then, she is approached by a man who looks just like her husband but claims to come from a different reality and tells her that she is the key to fighting off a great evil that is trying to destroy all the worlds in the multiverse of time. The only way Evelyn can fight this evil and save the multiverse, including herself and her family, is to visit the different realities and bring their experiences and talents back into her own. Can she succeed?

This movie swept the 2022 Academy Awards, including a Best Actress award for Michelle Yeoh who plays Evelyn, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan who plays her husband and the lookalike from the alternate reality, and Best Supporting Actress for Jamie Lee Curtis who, completely unrecognizable in wig and makeup, plays the IRS auditor who is in charge of overseeing the Wangs’ tax investigation. While this film was touted as a complete masterpiece by many, I have trouble seeing what makes it so wonderful. While the cast is completely enchanting (and let’s not forget Stephanie Hsu as Evelyn’s daughter Joy or James Hong has her father) I found the storyline extremely hard to follow. There were so many alternate realities coming and going for everyone that it was difficult to ascertain which one was which. (The Academy Award the editing team won for this was well deserved.) In addition, there were many moments of what was supposedly labeled as humor that were utterly profane (Joy beating up some men using giant penises as nunchucks comes to mind). Granted, I am not really a fan of comedy and only watched this to see Yeoh in her award-winning role, but the whole thing left me rather flat. If this is what is being labeled as high art now, I think I’ll be more than happy to continue watching movies from previous years. Do not let the kids see this one. 

BOOK REVIEW: God's Provision for Your Every Need by T.D. Jakes

 

For those of you who do not know this author, T.D. Jakes is an African-American preacher who is the founder of The Potter’s House, a non-denominational megachurch in Dallas, Texas. Born and raised in Charleston, West Virgina, he became a minister at the age of 25 and started a storefront church in 1982. After a few years and a continually growing congregation, he moved to Dallas, where he now resides and pastors an organization that boasts 30,000 members. His sermons are televised on such networks as Trinity Broadcasting Network and Black Entertainment Television as The Potter’s Touch. He also has a production company that publishes his many books and has produced several movies.

Though claiming to be non-denominational, his teachings are actively conservative, and he has been targeted by LBGTQ+ activists as being hostile to transgender rights. This book, however, does not reflect that attitude. It is a book heavy on symbolism, most of which anyone who is not versed in the Christian lexicon will have trouble understanding. Basically, it talks about God putting water (help and encouragement) into our deserts (problems and circumstances). Though the sheer volume of this symbology can get monotonous, this is a relatively short book and so readable in spite of the repetitiveness of its theme. One thing that I did appreciate is the way that Jakes writes. He does not use large multisyllable words or theological arguments to get his point across. He writes as if he were simply sitting in front of the reader attempting to explain something, though, as previously stated, heavy in Christian terminology. This is a good book for a Christian who is going through tough times and looking for something to tell them it will get better. For anyone else, it may be something of a confusing read.

MOVIE REVIEW: Risen

 

This movie should not be confused with one of the same title that was released in 2016, and was a Christian based film. This one is a pure sci-fi flick from 2021 starring Nicole Schalmo as an astrobiologist named Lauren Stone who has hit rock bottom emotionally and has lost her job and reputation as a result. When a meteor hits outside a small town, turning the air toxic and killing everyone there, Stone is called upon to solve the mystery behind the phenomenon. A problem that only gets stranger when some of the dead residents rise and begin living again.

This is actually the first film that Schalmo has been known for. She was both the star and the assistant producer, and, in spite of her relatively unknown status, this has received nine awards from various film festivals and independent critics from around the world. The cinematography is excellent as well as the acting, though the script is rather slow and confusing in spots, with a lot of technical jargon about quantum physics thrown in. However, the end is so completely unexpected and astounding that it makes this totally worth watching. There is no erotica, very little violence, and an equally small amount of strong language, so this would be suitable for older children, provided they have the intellect to understand it. 

BOOK REVIEW: The Gypsy Morph by Terry Brooks

 

Hawk, a young man imbued with magic more powerful than has ever been seen before, leads a ragtag group of orphans and their caretakers in search of a place where they will be safe from the last devastation that will annihilate what is left of the world. Joining them is a young Elf who carries the responsibility for the entirety of his race, and two Knights of the Word, people drawn from the race of men to protect the ones who will make a difference in the battle between light and darkness. Against them stands a demon so powerful that it will take all their combined abilities to defeat him and the army of monsters that he has amassed.

This is the last book in the trilogy of the Genesis of Shannara, the prelude to the world Terry Brooks first created in his sensational first novel, The Sword of Shannara. Now we learn how the world of Shannara came to be, the forces that shaped it, and the world that it was born from. This brings all the main characters from the first two books in this trilogy together for one last battle to see who will survive and who will be destroyed. A battle that will be decided, not by armies, but by the power of one boy who is not even sure what he is or is meant to be. One of Brooks’s best, this is a great read.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Black Demon

A man named Paul Sturges, who works for an oil company, takes his family on a weekend in Baja California where he has been assigned to inspect an oil rig. When they get there, they find that the oil rig has been leaking for months, polluting the waters offshore and devastating the town there that relied on the fishing industry. It has also apparently attracted a monster shark that the locals believe is a demon come to exact revenge on the humans who have destroyed the environment. Sturges soon finds himself and his family trapped on the oil rig itself where, along with the only two survivors of the crew, they enter a fight to get back to shore before the whole thing collapses or the shark can make them its prey.

This combines South American folklore with the current megalodon craze to create a movie about survival and the consequences of past choices. Due to its setting and plot, this is necessarily pro-environmentalism and anti-oil. Starring Josh Lucas as Sturges, Fernanda Urrejola as his wife Ines, and Julio Cesar Cedillo as one of the crew survivors, the acting in this is excellent. The script is sometimes a little choppy and the special effects are almost non-existent (the shark only has one out of the water appearance), but the performances keep it on track. Made by Amazon Studios for streaming on that platform, this was released before the writers’ and actors’ strikes that all but crippled the industry in 2023. As a result, it was never marketed to a wider audience than on the streaming service itself. However, it is worth seeing, if for nothing more than the effort that the actors put into it.  

 

BOOK REVIEW: Fairy Tale by Stephen King

 

Charlie Reade is a young man about to graduate high school. Though he is reasonably handsome and has been athletically successful most of his life, Charlie has been through some tough times. His mother was killed in a tragic accident when he was only a child and his father turned to alcohol to drown his own grief, which led Charlie down some dark paths and into some choices that he now regrets. But then he becomes the only friend of the hermit who lives in the big old house at the top of the hill and falls in love with the man’s equally old dog. When the man dies suddenly, he leaves Charlie his entire estate and, among all the other papers, a cassette tape on which the old guy tells a story that is clearly unbelievable. However, upon further investigation and to his utter astonishment, Charlie finds that the story is absolutely true. For the old man has left the boy not only a magical place, but the chance for a life changing experience, as well as an incredible responsibility to not only protect what he has been given but to also make sure that two entire worlds do not end up destroying each other.

This novel is just what its name indicates, a fairy tale. Over three decades ago, Stephen King wrote a book called The Eyes of the Dragon which was similar. In it, a good, honorable prince fought to save his kingdom from a demonic sorcerer.  However, in this, the prince is a young man from our world, and the danger is from the desires of members of a corrupt royal family that have made a deal with the very essence of evil. This is a dark fairy tale, in that there is a great deal of bloodshed and body parts, and most of the people involved, even the good ones, are well equipped for killing when they must. King has an uncanny way of weaving a web of events that keep coming back to the old bedtime stories that he was told as a child (one in particular), thus becoming the theme of the narrative and still having the ability to work their own form of magic. There are many who have not and will not like this, mainly because it is not in King’s usual vein of horrible beings and nightmarish happenings, but it is a fairy tale worth the telling. And worth the reading as well.

 

MOVIE REVIEW: Knock at the Cabin

 

While vacationing at a remote cabin, a gay couple named Eric and Andrew and their adopted daughter, Wen, find themselves at the mercy of four unexpected visitors who tell them that they will have to make an impossible choice to stop a worldwide catastrophe. Though they want to put their captors’ words down to nothing more than an elaborate delusion, as the things that are predicted slowly begin to unfold, the two men find themselves beginning to believe that what they are told may be the truth. But can they do what is being asked of them? Could you bring yourself to kill someone you loved if it meant saving the world?

Based on a book titled The Cabin at the End of the World, this is a film by M. Night Shyamalan, who is known for his unique and unusual movies that have strange plot twists. This is mainly a character study of several different personalities being brought together under extremely difficult circumstances, with a unique perspective of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse for a backdrop. Starring ex-WWE champ Dave Bautista as the leader of the home invaders, and Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge as the gay couple, this also has a young child actor, Kristen Cui, who is outstanding as Wen, and a surprise guest appearance by Rupert Grint as one of the intruders. This has several scenes of murder and suicide in it, so it is not recommended for children. However, like all Shyamalan’s films, this one will keep you thinking about it long after it is over. A little disturbing but excellently done, it is worth the watch.

BOOK REVIEW: The Method by James Patterson and Zachary Quinto

 

This was more of a listen than a read. An audio drama from one of the most prolific authors today and one of the best performers to grace both film and stage, it follows a struggling actor who, after being a child star on a hit series, is trying to find the right part to once again launch him into the limelight. Along the way, a friend introduces him to an online teaching series called The Method, which is a completely immersive technique of leading an actor into the mind of a character. However, when the character happens to be a serial killer, getting into a mind like that may cost everyone their futures.

The production of this reminds me of the old radio dramas that were the rage in the early 20th century. As with any form of entertainment, there were the cheesy, corny ones, and then there were the ones that won awards and became entertainment legends. This is definitely one of the latter. The listener is drawn into the world of a young man who is attempting to bring a psychopath to life and ends up losing his own identity in the process. Quinto's ability to use only his voice to make you see through the eyes of a murderer is incredible, and paired with Patterson's writing the story takes on a life of its own. I definitely recommend this for anyone who is interested in discovering what audio drama is, but be prepared to be creeped out by one of the most endearing monsters to come along on a long time.

MOVIE REVIEW: Riding the Bullet

 

In 1969 a young artist named Alan Parker, who has visions of his own death, attempts to hitchhike home to see his mother when she is hospitalized by a stroke. On the way he meets an old farmer, an army deserter, and what is apparently the ghost of a man who died two years before and is now gathering souls for the Grim Reaper. This spirit gives Alan the choice of dying himself or choosing someone else to die instead, all of this being instigated by his refusing to ride a roller coaster called The Bullet when he was young, and where he first began seeing premonitions. To be able to get to his sick mother's side Alan must outwit the Angel of Death.

Inspired by a novella by Stephen King, this falls down the rabbit hole of being just a little too faithful to the work of that author. King has a gift of writing the mindscapes of his characters that can be very disturbing, but in a book there is always a hint whether or not what is being read is happening in reality or in the vastly layered mind. However, in film only audible or visual markers can let the viewer know when those periods stop or start, and here there are no such markers. Episodes of the mind are literally indistinguishable from reality, and this makes this movie really choppy and confusing to follow. It is so convoluted, in fact, that it literally wears the audience out and makes them lose interest about halfway through. I would not recommend this for anyone who has trouble telling fantasy from fact, and definitely not for imaginative children that it might excessively frighten. The only bright spot in the entire thing comes early on with the appearance of veteran actor Cliff Robertson as the old farmer that picks Alan up for one of his early rides, and who is mourning the death of his wife while also suffering from health issues. But the majority of this is a mess in film context. There are better things you can do with your time.