Rapid Review: Lovely Molly (2011)

“What ever happens, it wasn’t me.”
– Molly

SYNOPSIS: Newlywed Molly moves into her deceased father’s house in the countryside, where painful memories soon begin to haunt her. – via IMDB

So I couldn’t even remember where I had seen a review of this and decided to check it out. I found out after the fact that it was something that dear Eric liked a lot (this after I told him I was sure I had stumbled upon my next Shitfest entry – when is that happening again???). Well. Pretty much from the off I knew that there were going to be problems with this. And I mean a lot of problems. All good and well we get Half Sack back for something, but it does not mean something good will come for it. For one, I was no fan of the dancing between found footage and regular shot movie. Well, I don’t like found footage usually ever, at all, but really, it was pointless here. The movie was slow, and it never actually divulged anything. It set up for jump scares that never happened, but this wasn’t done successfully where it keeps you on the edge of the seat. Oh  no, this is done in the way where, finally, for half a minute, your interest is piqued for a moment, and then there is no payoff. Meh. Also, nothing was explained. Now, I am not one that likes too much revealed usually. Seriously, less is more at the best of times. I was all good for that, but then you look at certain incidents (a real rapey looking scene against a work wall, a priest dropping to his knees to eat out a naked girl on a porch) and all I can do is wonder why and how we got to this place. It doesn’t even make sense! Not to mention that the performances leave a lot to be desired, and the logic encountered in this film? Next level crazy I tell you! Now, something else that really got under my skin? The character inconsistencies. There is the dear husband, Tim, who seemingly adores his wife. They have no problems, they are happy, not once has there been alluded to that something might be wrong, so when we get to a random scene where he is, uhm, overly cuddly with the neighbour, it just doesn’t make sense at all. I could totally have gotten on board with the concept of her potentially being crazy or the house was crazy or there was some haunting, really, it could have been interesting but it was handled terribly here. I didn’t like any of the characters, so I couldn’t care for them. The movie also felt like it was only about a half century long. Ugh. So much wasted potential. I really thought it would be more (sorry Chop). I was peeved but oh my goodness, my husband was livid and hopping, ready to go out and decree that all filmmakers producing crap like this should be shot, and was ready to start with the guilty parties of this. Luckily, I talked him down. Luckily. He was more pissed about this than It Follows. I didn’t even see the whole “From The Makers of The Blair Witch Project and The Lord of the Rings” until later, but that second name dropping part just pisses me off – this is totally not in the same league. Don’t put it up there. Thank goodness I didn’t see that before I watched it. I am sure that it would have, if possible, just have made this worse than it already was. Somehow, I am sure of this.

Review: Glory In Death – J.D. Robb

In Death #2

SYNOPSIS: It is 2058, New York City. In a world where technology can reveal the darkest of secrets, there’s only one place to hide a crime of passion-in the heart.

Even in the mid-twenty-first century, during a time when genetic testing usually weeds out any violent hereditary traits before they can take over, murder still happens. The first victim is found lying on a sidewalk in the rain. The second is murdered in her own apartment building. Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas has no problem finding connections between the two crimes. Both victims were beautiful and highly successful women. Their glamorous lives and loves were the talk of the city. And their intimate relations with men of great power and wealth provide Eve with a long list of suspects — including her own lover, Roarke. – via Goodreads

Alright, I was sincerely hoping for an improvement over the last book, and this one surely wasn’t it. Some things were worked on and bettered, but overall I cannot really say that I loved it. Eve is still a character I cannot really stand, and while Roarke has toned down in this one, I am still not a huge fan, though I certainly like him more than Eve. The murders again started as something interesting, but petered out relatively soon. What I did appreciate in this book that Naked In Death completely missed was that is presents a clear indication of the time/age you are in, so it was not this hot, confusing mess as the last one, and Robb tackles a little more on the whole futuristic aspect. I found it too easy how Roarke was banished when there were other things the story needed to deal with (imagine the murders!) that did not just include useless sex the whole time. Really, I am getting so over that in books lately. It’s almost like everything I have read focuses strongly on sex. Not. Interested. Robb did spend a little more time this book giving us more insight into other characters aside from Eve, and I truly did appreciate that. There are many instances in the book that show Robb is recycling work, expressions, etc. and that gets rather annoying. Also, there is this level of childishness in here that annoys me endlessly – like Eve constantly wanting to deck Summerset, and their silly feud with one another (that I really wish would be explained). Then there is the entire dynamic between Roarke and Eve – they just seem to be banging each other constantly, but then you need to remember that they don’t know why they want each other. Their relationship is also growing far too quickly with little rhyme or reason, yet we are expected to accept this and be happy. I don’t know, it isn’t realistic. Robb also constantly references things (Summerset being with Roarke no matter how he treats Eve, Eve’s past, etc.) that never get explained, and are dredged up from time to time to remind us, forcefully, that there is a much deeper and more intense story. Stop alluding to it and start giving it to us, dammit! So, overall, if you want a book that doesn’t require much thinking or much structured romance, this could be your book. But if page fillers and inconsistencies are not your thing, I would highly recommend probably just skipping this one!