Movie Review: Firecracker (1981)

Susanne fends off some hotel thieves. This isn't the most famous fight scene in the movie, but I pretend to be a family friendly blog.

Movie Review: Firecracker (1981) directed by Cirio H. Santiago Susanne Carter (Jillian Kesner) is a martial arts instructor from California looking for her missing sister Bonny (Carolyn Smith), a photographer who was going by her professional name of “Vanessa” when she disappeared in the Philippines. According to bar-with-rooms-upstairs owner Pete (Pete Cooper), she hasn’t been… Continue reading Movie Review: Firecracker (1981)

Webtoon Review: Trese

Alexandra's cases tend to be gruesome.

Webtoon Review: Trese Alexandra Trese is a detective of sorts who deals with supernatural cases in the Philippines, primarily operating in the city of Manila. Like her father before her, Alexandra stands between the community of humans and that of paranormal creatures, trying to uphold the “accords” that keep balance. She’s aided by twin bodyguards,… Continue reading Webtoon Review: Trese

Book Review: The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories Vol. 1

Book Review: The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories Vol. 1 Edited by James D. Jenkins & Ryan Cagle As has been mentioned in reviews on this blog before, there is a lot of literature from around the world published every year that English-only folks never get to read because it’s in other languages and… Continue reading Book Review: The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories Vol. 1

Movie Review: Beast of the Yellow Night

Langdon's night is not going well.

Movie Review: Beast of the Yellow Night (1971) directed by Eddie Romero The year is 1946, somewhere in Southeast Asia (most likely the Philippines as that’s where the movie was shot.) Army deserter, traitor, rapist and murderer Robert Langdon (John Ashley) is at last trapped on a mountain with no food. Near death from starvation and… Continue reading Movie Review: Beast of the Yellow Night

Magazine Review: Strange Tales September 1931

Magazine Review: Strange Tales September 1931 edited by Harry Bates Strange Tales was published as a direct competitor to Weird Tales, the top fantastic/occult story pulp magazine of the time, starting with this issue in 1931. It had more of an action slant to its editorial policy as compared to the more idea-heavy stories of… Continue reading Magazine Review: Strange Tales September 1931

Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales

Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales compiled by Stefan Dziemianowicz The definition of “thriller” is a little loose in this fun anthology, though most of the stories do have at least some suspense.  It feels more like the compiler picked a bunch of the public domain stories he liked, but didn’t have a strong… Continue reading Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales

Book Review: Writers of the Future, Volume 34

Book Review: Writers of the Future, Volume 34 edited by David Farland Disclaimer:  I received a download of this book through a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of writing this review.  No other compensation was offered or requested. Back before he became involved with…you know, L. Ron Hubbard was a prolific author of stories for… Continue reading Book Review: Writers of the Future, Volume 34

Book Review: Rad Women Worldwide

Book Review: Rad Women Worldwide by Kate Schatz Right up front, I have to say that the title is the most annoying thing about this book.   Did anyone ever use “rad” as an adjective unironically?  That said, “radical” is not an unfair term to apply to many of the women whose short biographies are… Continue reading Book Review: Rad Women Worldwide

Book Review: In the South Dakota Country

Book Review: In the South Dakota Country by Effie Florence Putney This is a history of South Dakota written for grade school children in the 1920s, when the frontier days were still in living memory.  (Indeed, my mother was educated in a one-room schoolhouse some years later.)  This was before Mount Rushmore and Wall Drug,… Continue reading Book Review: In the South Dakota Country

Magazine Review: Lapham’s Quarterly: Spring 2015 Swindle & Fraud

Magazine Review: Lapham’s Quarterly: Spring 2015 Swindle & Fraud Edited by Lewis H. Lapham Mr. Lapham’s literary magazine is based on the principle that history has much to teach the present on many subjects, so presents excerpts from many famous (and not so famous) authors on a loose topic for the education and entertainment of… Continue reading Magazine Review: Lapham’s Quarterly: Spring 2015 Swindle & Fraud