Film Review – Ghostbusters (2016)

I approach all summer blockbusters in the same way. I think of them as movies made for fun, meant to be enjoyed for what they are and how they make you feel. They are the cinematic equivalent of pop songs and I love them for it. Examples of summer blockbusters include: Shrek (Fairy tale fun!)…

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This post is bananas

I love bananas in every stage of ripeness, but there is a certain magic quality that brown bananas have, full of sweetness and possibility. My favorite use for ripe bananas has always been banana bread, mostly because there are so many different recipes out there to try and they’re all fairly adaptable.

As a bonus (thanks to my delayed posting), I’m also covering a recipe for banana oat bars that is simple and gluten free.

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Film review – Pandorica

Pandorica could be categorized in a number of ways – thriller, horror, apocalyptic, dystopian – and I think that’s one of the really appealing aspects of the film.

It picks up several generations after what they call The Great Reset, some sort of worldwide disaster that decimated all but the most isolated communities. Three youth of the Varosha tribe – Eiren, Thade, and Ares – are preparing to take part in a selection test, during which the tribe’s current leader Nus will select his replacement.

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Film review – Refuge

If you’ve been around the blog long enough, you’ll know that I’m a sucker for an apocalyptic tale. Even though I tend to gravitate to zombies, I’m an equal opportunity end-of-the-world enthusiast. In fact, having spent six years living in Beijing (with a population of over 20 million crammed into tight quarters), I really connect…

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Film review – The Witch

There has been a lot of buzz floating around about The Witch ever since it hit the festival circuit last year. Rolling Stone promised it would “scare the hell out of you” and declared it “a crafty calling card brimming with beauty and terror” for first time writer/director Robert Eggers. The Atlantic gushed over it, saying it was…

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Nachos for One

This idea started a few days ago with an offhanded comment as I shared a link on Facebook. My friends, of course, responded in kind with their own quippy remarks. “Nachos for Two… for One, Please,” said one, replied to by another with “Nachos for Four…One Fork, Please.” (And so on, and so on…) The thing is, these…

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Film review – Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I have been excited for this movie to be released since I first heard about the project.

When I first walked out of the theater, I felt like they had made an admirable attempt at translating the adapted text to the screen. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like something wasn’t sitting right with me. Not having read it since it was first published, I went back and thumbed through the book and figured out what felt so… off.

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The year in reviews

Recently I’ve had a bit of brain spark on an idea for a novel that has been stewing in my head for a while. I’m going to try to focus my creative energy on outlining it, which probably means fewer blog posts for a few weeks. Rather than leave you in the lurch, I thought I’d pull together everything I’ve recommended you watch over the past year.

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Resolute reflections

It’s a funny little dance we all do – We get to the end of December and wonder where the year went. We look back on the past twelve months, focusing on all the things that didn’t go as planned, the things left undone, and tell ourselves that next year will be different. We resolve that…

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Tis the season to gift quirky

Plenty of companies have decided not to open on Black Friday (and a tip of the hat to them for it) but whether you’re shopping the day after Thanksgiving or just some random Tuesday in December, I find actual brick-and-mortar stores to be unbearable around the holidays. Luckily, there’s a way you can avoid those stores…

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