The Reading

 

I had seen previews for Lee Daniels 2023 BET horror/thriller movie “The Reading” starring Mo’Nique last week.

The first time I saw one of the coming attractions I did not think much of the film- not really paying too much attention to it.

The second time I saw a commercial for The Reading it struck me as eerily spooky.

The BET television premiere for the film is set to air on March 14, 2023, but I did not want to wait that long.

So, after midnight this morning I watched The Reading on Amazon Prime- and I was not at all disappointed.

I loved the way the movie started off. It was intense and did not waste a moment to delve into the story.

Around the middle of the film there was a shocking, unexpected twist that threw me off.

I thought it was going to be a spirit haunting type of movie with something going wrong through the spirit-medium who gave the chilling psychic readings.

I was ready to lightheartedly fear what I thought may come about. Everything was getting so freaky and exciting!

Even though the film went in another direction it was still entertaining.

The Reading was action-packed, full of suspense, and ruthlessly gore with Mo’Nique’s character.

I loved that the movie depicted an African American girl with genuine clairvoyant/psychic ability (the woman played her part well as well as all the other actors and actresses) because we do exist, and we are out here in the world.

Race or ethnicity has nothing to do with one being born with preternatural ability, yet we rarely see people of color who possess these gifts shown in the media unless it is a portrayal of some stereotypical voodoo shit!

 

 

 

An Entertaining Underrated Classic

 

On Saturday, I watched a classic black and white movie titled “Impact”.

It was a 1949 film that starred Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Helen Walker, and Charles Coburn.

When I first read the synopsis, my interest was struck, but the movie turned out better to my liking than I had first imagined.

So many old films or films alike with these types of plots are predictable though this story took a pleasingly different little turn.

I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end.

I also liked the cinematography and the script for that era of time.

The film was about a woman.

She had a man who truly loved her- he thought the world of her. But she was just using him for his money and the luxurious things he could get for her.

The woman had a lover on the side.

One that she incorporated for the scheme in the murder of her unsuspecting husband.

Without giving away the entire storyline- Everything seemed to have gone as planned, however, what was planned did not at all go as it had seemed.

There is a detective on the scene who is on the style of Alfred Hitchcock within characteristics while distinguishing a style of his very own in solving this case of a death that is not what it appears.

Throughout, the viewer (us watching the movie) gets to see how things proceed and how they unfold with another sweet piece of entertainment that develops in the storyline with the supposedly deceased character.

What angered me about the film was how the wife had such a faithful, loving husband, who cared about her and thoroughly provided for her regardless of her snooty attitude toward him at times. He treated her like a princess- in return she sets him up to get killed. She was ruthless throughout the story.

It is just a reminder of how dirty people can be just like Patrick Swayze’s character in the movie “Ghost” was set up by someone who was supposed to be his friend to get robbed then all went wrong resulting in his murder.

The thing I appreciated about “Impact” was the killer got what he deserved not realizing he was unsuccessful within his intended fatal venture.

 

Suspenseful Afternoon And Evening

 

This past Sunday on January 22, 2023, I was looking through the category log of my television app.

I was in the mood to look at classic suspense/crime/mystery films for the day.

I came across a title called “Witness to Murder (a film I had never seen before) starring one of my favorite old-time actresses- Barbara Stanwyck.

I really liked this black and white movie.

In the opening scene, Barbara’s character wakes up from her sleep to see a man in an apartment window straight across from her bedroom window in the act of murdering a woman.

Without giving too much of the story away, Barbara phones up the police but when they arrive on the scene there is no evidence of any crime having been committed.

When the killer discovers that Barbara’s character is aware of what he did, he cunningly tries his best to make her appear to be crazy and harassing, in effort to throw everybody off to the truth at hand.

Barbara Stanwyck was such a talent in her time here on earth.

One of my other favorite suspense films of hers is one that I saw a long time ago called “Sorry, Wrong Number“.

Afterwards, I watched another film that I never saw starring Barbara Stanwyck titled “Crime of Passion”. Raymond Burr also starred in this entertaining flick.

 

 

 

 

Based On A True Story

 

At 4pm this Sunday afternoon I viewed a film on Lifetime released for 2022 titled Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story.

I watched it because I remember seeing the trial broadcast on Court TV as well as Forensic Files and other Crime Show reenactments of the case.

I had also read the book about Nurse Melanie McGuire titled To Have and To Kill by John Glatt over ten years ago.

The book was one of the published books I was hooked on throughout St. Martin’s True Crime Library Series.

Those books used to keep me up all night- I could not get enough!

Melanie drugged her husband, shot him, chopped up his body (dismembered it with an electrical saw), placed the different body parts into three bags of luggage, then dumped the Suitcase apparatuses into the Virginia Chesapeake Bay River.

It was such a gruesome crime! The book was much better than the movie.

 

 

Raindrops: Enjoying My Day Inside

 

Around ten minutes after 6am I awoke to pee. It was still dark out; I could hear raindrops outside my window.

After I came from the bathroom I went back to sleep.

I awoke a few minutes after 8am again to pee. It was cloudy out, the rain not as hard as before, but light.

After I came from the bathroom I went back to sleep.

I awoke at around 11am to pee some more, afterwards, I laid back down to sleep. I heard the rain come down hard.

I could not get back to sleep. I decided it was time for me to rise for the day.

The news had broadcast rain earlier within the week for today Saturday, October 1, 2022.

Such a wonderful day for me to spend my weekend off watching movies and eating my delicious non-dairy peanut butter swirl and vanilla Breyers ice-cream (frozen dessert). It is a sweet treat I eat in moderation from time to time.

Lately, I have been catching some good, entertaining films to view.

Well, I will get back to my day of leisure and loveliness. Then later on in the evening I will make my dinner as I continue to watch movies galore!

 

Classic Noirs: The Whistler Continues

 

Yesterday morning I came home, took off my clothes, got comfortable, ate a few cold, firm and crunchy red delicious apples.

Not too long after, I was ready for a meal that I craved. I was prepared from the grocery shopping I did from the day before.

I bought what I knew was going to satisfy my appetite in a healthy fashion as I often aspire.

My food cooked over the stovetop smoothly. I made vegan pasta complimented with sprinkles of garlic to enhance the flavor of spice. Onion, basil and oregano also brought out the usual pleasant taste of my spaghetti.

My food was ready just in time as I sat to watch two never before seen “Whistler” movies.

I watched Secret Of The Whistler first. I enjoyed this flick very much. Good, stylish, and acceptable for its time, and the film still holds up while keeping the culture of that era in mind.

The second movie I watched right after- The Return Of The Whistler (the only film within the series that did not star Richard Dix) was not bad either. I liked the way it started off.

The next three and last of the eight movies I have to see are “The Thirteenth Hour”, “Mysterious Intruder” and “The Mark Of The Whistler”.

I hope to view these entertaining noirs very soon!

A Must See Movie For Those Who Haven’t

 

I was in the mood for cinema Saturday night, sorting through the hundreds of films in the app of my library of free movies to watch on my wide-screen television set.

I chose a movie titled “The Brave One”, and I am so glad I did.

I stayed up until 5am in the morning watching this film till the end as I had to work Sunday afternoon It was worth it though. I went to sleep afterwards- and still made it to work ahead of time.

It starred Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard. It is a realistic movie that came out in 2007 about a violent assault, murder, and a lady who works for a radio broadcast who takes it upon herself to avenge victims of crime in New York City as well as herself of her previous attackers.

The ending really stirred me, I just loved it!

The Brave One was truly an excellent, heart-felt action-thriller movie that one would not be disappointed viewing if this is their genre.

 

The Whistler: Classic Noir

 

I watched “The Whistler” this evening. It was interesting and good.

So far now, I have seen The Power of the Whistler (My favorite of the three), Voice of the Whistler and as I just mentioned The Whistler.

I set my cable to record Secret of the Whistler and The Return of the Whistler.

I look forward to seeing those two noirs soon for the first time when I get the time.

Afterwards, there are two more in the series of eight I have never seen that I eventually hope I get to see when my cable network airs them.

I enjoy these Whistler movie classics.

I like the mystery, the suspense, twists in storyline, and the old-time cinematography of the films.

 

 

 

A Flick Before Bedtime: Classic Cinema

 

Yesterday when I got off work, I stopped off at a few places to pick up some items.

When I finally arrived home, I was tired and ready to go to sleep but last night was one of my movie nights.

I was interested enough to stay up for a while to catch “Voice of The Whistler”.

I watched “Power of The Whistler” last week.

Later in the week I will watch “The Whistler”.

There are eight of these films that were produced in the 1940’s based on a radio series.

I used to like hearing old time suspense/mystery theater dramas on the radio.

About two years ago, I awoke around five in the morning as I came across one of the “Whistler” movies as it was ending.

I could tell from what I had saw that the movie was a good one, however, I don’t remember which “Whistler” movie it was that aired at the time.

Anyhow, the two I have already seen were good. I look forward to viewing all of the ones that I have not seen so far.