LIST: February's Rants & Raves

  In the shortest month, we have another long LIST and what an interesting LIST it is. Very high highs and some very low lows. I guess I'll let the LIST speak for itself so here we go.

28. Possessing Her Book 2: Now You're Mine by Morgan Bridges: 5.5 - RANT

    Oh dear. This book. In hindsight I was actually very nice to the first book in this duology. Upon hindsight, I would drop its original ranking down to a 6.5 and the worst piece of content from January. There is just too many problems with this book. The Male Main Character (MMC) is a red flag psycho and our Female Lead is weak and has no real good qualities and lets the MMC get away with literal murder. This was also a scene in this book that the MMC does, that gave me serious ick and almost made me DNF (Did Not Finish) this book. The smut was detailed and I'm still not used to such colorful language used outside of erotica but even the timing of some scenes just felt egregious and un-neccessary.

    The only reason why this book has a 5.5 is because the writing and prose was not bad but the story, the characters, the side characters and the conclusion just all felt silly. The big bad 'reveal' lacked impact and very convenient without a real set-up. I regret spending time with this duology and needless to say I will not be reading anymore books by this author.

27. The Mystery of Marie Roget by Edgar Allan Poe: 6.5 - Okay

    

    High on my enjoyment from reading Murder in the Rue Morgue by Poe, I decided to also read its direct sequel. That seemed un-necessary. This novella did not have the well plotted story 'Murder..' had and there is no big twist which made 'Murder..' so memorable. Instead, we were given a barely read-able investigation into a real life crime with Poe using substitutions to not make it obvious what it is about. Poe continues to use his literally un-named detective to comment on a real life murder and his theories through his character. However, he presents no solutions just muses.

    I read a lot of Poe's short stories during this month and compared to some of the other stories like The Tell-Tale Heart, the Pit and the Pendulum, heck even Metzengerstein were much better reads than this one. The later have complex stories, great imagery and a conclusion. The Mystery of Marie Roget had none of those.

26. Hellraiser 3: Hell on Earth: 7 - OKAY

    As previously posted on this blog, February started a movie series called 'Raising Hell' where I re-watched or watched all the Hellraiser films. Yes, all 11 of them. I remember watching Hellraiser 3 and did not mind it (more on power of nostalgia in a later entry) but upon my re-watch I realized this film did not age well.

    From turning Pinhead to a stereotypical psycho killer (in the vein of Jason and Freddy) complete with one liners and mocking characters to a complete genre switch at the halfway point where it became more of an action films in the vein of Robocop and other late 80's films (with exploding cop cars and man-hole set pieces) instead of a horror film, this movie was lacking. The only decent part of the film were the main leads, Doug Bradley is still amazing as the Hell Priest and Terry Farrell (my forever Star Trek crush growing up) was a very believable female lead especially compared to Ashley Laurence's rather wooden acting in Hellraiser one and two.

    However instead of great ending to the what was a good duology we have tons of new cenobites with no redeeming factors, a barely there story and a (I feel) an un-necessary redemption arc for Pinhead which is un-done by the next movie. Before this re-watch I always felt the movie after the 4th seemed like cheap cash grabs but I am now seeing it started much earlier than that.

25. Alien Earth: 7 - OKAY

    I bounced so hard off this. Taking what should have been a slam-dunk, what we got was a very meh opening (where I nearly DNF a show which I don't think I've ever done), a decent middle (with one of the best stand-alone episodes which felt like a lost Alien film and how it at least got the 7 based off that) to a very meh ending with a lot of 'please give us another season' bait.

    90% of the characters were either unlikeable or too stupid/silly to have any feelings of attachment. The concept of putting children inside synthetic bodies and sending into a active warzone made me shake my head too and made me wonder who greenlit this idea. Also our Female lead having a pet Alien was a bridge too far as well despite how cool it was. If this show does get a second season I know I will not be back. I feel this show could have worked with just any type of Alien enemy (and they tried because the xenomorph was only one of many hostile species) and not besmirched Alien's problematic legacy.

24. Hellbound: Hellraiser II: 7.5  - OKAY

    As I said in the Hellraiser 3 entry, nostalgia is a bitch. I really thought Hellbound was my favorite Hellraiser film of the four I have seen. I remember so many scenes from it and some of them even gave me nightmares growing up (because I watched it when I was way too young), it was that memorable. So why was it during this re-watch I realize that Hellbound was just... okay. I always thought and even told people Hellbound to Hellraiser was Terminator 2 to the original Terminator but now after this re-watch I no longer feel that way.

    Hellbound rehashes a lot of Hellraiser, even using the same concept (bringing someone back from Hell) but it is just copy/ paste and nothing new. What is new is the new villain who un-ceremoniously kills all the cool cenobites to prove he was the big dog but then subsequently goes out like a bitch with no pay-off. The acting is still decent but as I mentioned before Ashley as Kirsty is doing the bare minimum in all her scenes and in hindsight is not a heroine really worth cheering for. If anything she is slightly overshadowed by the secondary female lead, Imogen Boorman as Tiffany (who has the best line, hands-down, in the film).  I am kind of happy I did this re-watch because now I see the original is the superior of the two.

23. Prodigy (entire series): 8 - Rave

     Continuing my exploration of the Millar-verse which started with Nemesis and Big Game, we have arrived at Prodigy. Prodigy's main character Edison Crane has been touted as Mark Millar's favorite creation and a mixture of James Bond, Jason Borne, Sherlock Holmes and more. I find him incredibly boring. Edison reads and acts like a Gary Stu, the name you give to literary characters who are perfect in every way and have zero flaws. The problems with Gary Stu characters are they just feel made up and not real. Sure Edison can write complex sonnets, while solving the water crisis in India and also be a world-class athlete but when all he does with it is go in National Treasure/ Jason Bond globe-trotting adventures with no real consequences at the end, it gets kind of samey and when I completed the third volume I was happy to be done with him. Also I do not enjoy (at least until the third book) that it is always about Edison and how amazing he is. It low key kind of reminded me of Star Discovery and how they wrote Michael Burnham (and y'all know how I feel about that).

    Despite these low points, the art is still amazing, some of the set pieces were cool and when Edison wasn't always winning, it did have some cool moments. This series just shows the problem about a  book with perfect characters and a case study for why flawed characters make much more compelling reads. In the Millar-verse I rank this slightly above Night Club which isn't great for Prodigy.

22. Hellverine Vol. 2 Hell Hulk Unleashed: 8 - Rave

    

    Speaking of continuing series I enjoy, the latest volume of Hellverine (and probably his last as a solo star) was a good fun read. This arc features Mephisto and a new enemy, the Hell Hulk which was interesting, especially in the way it drove people mad. Akihiro continues to work with his new found family and confront not only his inner demons but outer ones too.

    My only gripe with this series is due to the nature of the characters we don't really have any high stakes because everyone can be resurrected due to the nature of the story. Also Percy finally brings in Akihiro's love interest Aurora from X-Factor and later the Marauders to break them up? For no reason other than to do it? I have been wanting to see Aurora's reaction to Hellverine and I must say it was very disappointing. However the art was still good, the story was strong with a good hook and it ended well so I liked it enough to give it a Rave.

21. Gook: 8 - Rave

    Gook was a unique film, very uncompromising and cautionary tale about racial disharmony. Justin Chon stars and directs well, with some well done shots and a real vision. However this movie doesn't make one feel well. From the excessive swearing, a lot of scenes that felt like they needed more time to truly stick and a very downbeat ending I am surprised I still enjoyed it.

    Justin and David So perform great for people who aren't know for their dramatic work, Simone Baker as our main character Kamila brings her role to life which is impressive for one so young. The funniest story is when I finally sat down to watch this film, I felt like I have watched it before. I had some strange deja vu as I re-watched certain scenes and I can't say for sure if I did watch it before and just forgot. All in all, a good directorial debut by Justin and a story that needed to be told.

20. Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning: 8 - Rave

    A compelling beginning (with a pay off we have all been waiting for) and a strong ending but with a meddling middle gave me flashbacks to book two of the Fever series which I thought was just okay. This (the 4th book) at least showed the consequences of the 3rd book well and it did move the story forward and I enjoyed learning more about Dani (who is low-key my favorite character) and Ryodan but I am happy that with this book done we can move onto the final book of the original ending.

    Depending on how Shadowfever ends, I might either continue with the Fever series second era and go all the way to the end or I might just stop with Shadowfever. I guess we shall see soon enough because I am reading the 5th right now. I enjoy this series but I won't lie, I do wish its pace was much faster.

19. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer: 8 - Rave

    A cozy fantasy that was recommended by my wife, with low stakes (at least at first) was an enjoyable read. It definitely was not like any other fantasy series I have read before and I think I enjoyed that the most about it. I do agree with some reviewers that I wish they had a bit more time together before they started swooning over each other but I did not hate it. It is ironic that it falls right next to the series where I felt it took forever for the main characters to get together. I guess I just enjoys book where the romances is more well paced, not too fast, not too slow. The big bad reveal was also well plotted and got the right reaction from me though I did wish it got to that moment much faster.

    I did this book purely as a audiobook and I enjoyed the narrator and I like the cast of characters. My only real gripes with it was I do not feel this book needed to be as long as it was and it took awhile for it to get really good but I will be adding the remaining books to my TBR so it did make a impression on me.

18. Hellraiser: 8 - Rave

    As briefly mentioned above, I used to think Hellbound: Hellraiser II was better than the original. Now I can say beyond a doubt I was wrong. After re-watching the original, I now have so much more appreciation of how close it stuck to the original material. Sure, some small changes were made regarding Kirsty but I actually felt that change made sense and made Uncle Frank much more creepier in retrospect. I also appreciate that after being screwed twice with Transmutations (Underworld in some regions) and the abominable RawHead Rex (owner of the Golden Rant from this very blog), Mr. Barker decided to direct this one and despite it being his first project, he truly imbued it with his himself.

    I appreciate this film so much more now I realize how tired I am of the slasher horror genre and that this film tried something different with its own story and he even kind of accidentally created a horror icon in the form of Pinhead aka The Hell Priest. Top that off with a surprise turn from Andrew Robinson (Garak of ST: DS9) playing a good guy and then a not such a good guy was a pleasant surprise too since I forgot he was in this film. Honestly I forgot a bit about this film even though I've watched it before so this was a great re-watch. 

17. Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe: 8.5 - RAVE

    Much like the month of January was about exploring the classic works of H.P Lovecraft, February was all about Edgar Allan Poe. Confession time, I have known about 'Murders...' ever since I became a fan of Poe but I have actually never read the novella until now and boy, was it a treat. To believe Poe can be credited with creating the modern detective story back in 1841 is truly awe-inspiring and he gave everyone a formula writers are still using today with a determined detective, a string of clues, a confession to the crime and a twist that still blows me away.

    This novella really drove home what I enjoy about Poe's writing and it started me down a path of like stories. As noted above I read the sequel to this story (which did not end as well) and I aim to read Clive Barker's take on it in the month of March. Truly a pleasant surprise and worth doing my deep dive into Poe's writing.

16. Where the Crawdads Sing: 8.5 - RAVE

    A well paced, enjoyable murder mystery with a killer twist. Based on a novel my wife has read, she mentioned it stayed pretty close to the source material which is always nice.

    Not much more to say other than this was a good film, well directed, the cast did well and the storyline was compelling enough it kept me interested until the final twist. Also it was nice to see a strong female lead taking her life back especially after so many people treated her so badly.

15. Beyond the Hanging Wall by Sara Douglass: 8.5 - RAVE

    This one surprised me. Despite being a big fan of Sara Douglass I never explored her standalone novels and after I found out this book, Threshold and her Wayfarer Redemption series are all linked together through Darkglass Mountain trilogy I decided to read the two books I never read. Now the surprising part. Unlike Threshold which had me under a spell until near the end, Beyond the Hanging Wall felt very safe and pedestrian and was actually disappointing me. It actually felt like one of Sara's earlier novels, re-released after she became popular off her other series.

    However near the end, this book does the opposite of Threshold and makes me much more invested, the story gets richer and the characters more three dimensional. I prefer the ending for this book much more than Threshold even tho I feel Threshold was a better novel overall. I am happy I read it and I now look forward to Darkglass Mountain trilogy and see how Sara combines all these fantasy worlds she has created.

14. Found Season One: 8.5 - RAVE

       Thanks to Netflix, me and my wife was able to finally watch a show we missed when it was airing originally. Found has a unique premise and I enjoy how it focuses on people whom are typically ignored and making sure every person is valued. Sure, some of the cases can get a bit generic and also a bit preachy sometimes (like network tv loves to do) but the strong cast carries the procedure nature of the show.

    The real strength of the show is the chemistry/ antagonistic relationship between series leads Shanola Hampton and Marl-Paul Gosselaar (who plays menacing a bit too well) which really makes it good TV. Combined with some interesting backstories for the main cast and a crazy mic drop moment for the season finale, it is definitely worth a watch if you like these type of shows. 

13. The Thief of Always by Clive Barker: 8.5 - RAVE

    

    Clive Barker as any regular readers of this blog knows, is my version of comfort food. The Thief of Always was one of the first novels I read of his after I read all six volumes of his Books of Blood and I remembered a lot of it to my surprise but also is a sign of a memorable read. Whilst it was written for a younger audience, it still has a timeless appeal to it.

    By the end of this novel, I was surprised how much of the final chapters, resounded with me, especially now as I am much older. I won't lie, this book really got me in the feels and that feeling elevated from a 8 to an 8.5 and the higher end of this LIST.

12. The Dark Tower Book Two - The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King: 8.5 - RAVE

    

    Continuing my re-read of the Dark Tower books (which I have decided to combine with an audio books going forward) I am happy I decided to stick to it. As previously mentioned, the Gunslinger can be a rough read and even with my new appreciation for it with my most recent re-read it was still a 8/10 book for me. The Drawing of the Three does not have such issues, from the jump, I really enjoyed this re-read and consumed it in record time thanks to double teaming with the audio book.

    I think Mr. King in this volume really understood where he wanted to go with The Dark Tower and it shows. Compelling and complex characters, a more realized setting and some insane set pieces make this a great read. With this volume, I am much more excited to continue my journey to The Dark Tower again to the point where instead of waiting as long as I did last time, I aim to jump into Book 3 at my first convenience.

11. Magisterium Book 4 - The Silver Mask by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare: 9 - RAVE

    

    I hate to compare oranges to apples but since they are both book 4, Holly Black and Cassandra Clare showed how to write a penultimate book especially compared to Dreamfever. This book truly upped the stakes, moved the needle and all the other metaphors lol. A couple majors things happen in this book and it sets the scene for a wild finale for sure.

    Oh and we finally get a pay-off for Call and Tamara relationship and yes, I still don't like Call as a Main Character. Funny enough, despite that, I do like this series and I am eagerly looking forward to the conclusion because if it keeps up this constant quality uptick, I think I will really enjoy it.

10. Bridgerton Season 4: 9 - RAVE

    

SPOILERS! Jump to 9 if you have not seen this season.

    So, I have been a fan of Bridgerton since season one (which I still believe it is one of the best seasons) so me and my wife have watched every season (and the Queen Charlotte spin-off) with interest. One thing I enjoyed about this season is seeing some East Asian representation and Yerin Ha playing Sophie gives her all. She is funny and charismatic and has natural chemistry with everyone.

    Sure the story was kind of paint by the numbers 'Cinderella story' but it was nice for the show to confront the class struggle that exists in Regency times. My only really gripe with this season is sadly the same as the previous season where the writers are doing too many side-plots drawing attention from the main couples so they can keep the rest of the cast busy. I like Hyacinth and Eloise but did they need a story this season? I was also not a fan of giving Violet a significant storyline this season but for it to be a means to an end of her 'finding herself' again. That could have been done in a couple scenes, not a season long arc. I am also not a fan of Sophie being a very intelligent woman being told by a man that their is no way her father would abandon her especially when the original source was a woman who clearly hated her. I feel Sophie did not need spurring to find the truth about her father's will.

    However, something that elevated this season was the sad love story of Francesca and her husband, John. Hannah Dodd as Fran continues to be one of the best casted additions to this ensemble and she portrayed Fran's love and grief over losing John so well. Episode 7 broke my heart and the only thing it has done has made me super invested in her upcoming full season.

9. The Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates: 9 - RAVE

    I have been dying to read something written by Ta-Nehisi Coates for a couple years now so during Black History Month, I decided to just do it and I read his memoir 'The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons and the Unlikely Road to Manhood'. What an elegant read this was. Coates is a masterful story-teller, weaving past and present into one compelling narrative. This book as the title implies mainly focuses on Coates, his brother, who is referred to as Big Bill and their upbringing under a strict but fair father in the 80's.

    Reading this reminded me of hood classics like 'Boyz N The Hood' and 'Menace 2 Society' but in book form and I really got to know the man behind the storywriter which I know is the goal behind most memoirs. I consumed this in record time, which is a sign I really liked it. I do wish it was a bit more focused at time but that is only a small gripe. Based on the strength of this, I think I will continue to read Coates' essays, his novels and his comic book runs and not just during February.

8. The Vision (entire series): 9 - RAVE

    As a big fan of the character, I always had an interest in Tom King's The Vision run. I even bought the first volume (with issues 1 to 6) and after I read it, I liked it but I must admit I was not immediately hooked by it like I thought I was going to be, especially after hearing everyone call it an 'instant' classic. Time went on and I never finished it. However this year, thanks to Hoppla I was able to read the whole series and I get it now. I really do.

    The final six issues really drive home the themes and it really comes to life for me where I actually really enjoyed reading it. I became really invested in the thought provoking story and the art matched it so well. Never too dynamic but perfect for the story it was telling. Vision's family ties and his relationships with others has never been explored as well as it was in this series and I think I see a lot of inspiration for WandaVision in this series. I am happy I finished this story and I now believe it is essential reading, especially if you like the Vision.

7. Avatar Fire and Ash: 9 - RAVE

    

    I might be in a minority but I really enjoy the Avatar films. I like the characters (most of them), the storylines and the epic scope of it all. I feel Fire and Ash in particular re-captures the thrill and action of the first film and was not as over-loaded with the worldbuilding the second film was. This epic was 3 hours and you felt the 3 hours but it was an enjoyable 3 hours if that make sense.

    This film also gave us a new antagonist in the form of Varang who is the anti-Neytiri in everyway and she was compelling in her insanity and bloodlust. The visuals to no surprise are still amazing and I continuously get lost where the CG begins and the real filming begins. Some of the technology and warfare in this film gave me Dandelion Dynasty vibes which I really liked because as regular readers of this blog know, I love me some Dandelion Dynasty.

6. Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin: 9.5 - RAVE

    

    As I continue to learn the craft of writing, I have been looking into aids and guides. I previously reviewed Stephen King's book on it, 'On Writing' and while I really enjoyed it, I did feel at times Mr. King enjoyed diving down memory lane a bit too many times and not enough tips on writing. Ursula K. Le Guin's guide 'Steering the Craft' however is much more a writing guide and wow, did I learn a lot from this book.

    I think a big part of this book is how much Le Guin encourages you to write, form peer workshops and practice your knowledge. Filled with illustrative examples and a good sense of humor, this helped me understand writing in ways I have not looked at it before. I borrowed this book from my local library but as soon as I finished it and returned it, I instantly brought a copy for my own personal library and I now look at it very fondly. This guide gets one of my highest recommendations if you have any interest in writing or enjoy literature. 

5. The Dandelion Dynasty Book 3: The Veiled Throne by Ken Liu: 9.5 - RAVE

    

    So after an amazing run for Ken Liu novels where he held the # 1 spot on multiple LISTs, The Veiled Throne is my first Ken Liu novel that I enjoyed but not my favorite piece of content for the month. Now, I still love The Veiled Throne and it still gets a 9.5 but to come in at number 5 shows you how competitive the this month's LIST is.

    The Dandelion Dynasty is still a compelling read, filled with nuanced, complex characters and even the new additions work so well in this universe. We still have some of the most darkest takes on war and the loss and each scene hits with the impact of a gut punch. However due to the rather extended 'Dandelion Dynasty: Iron Chef' I feel these scenes lasted a bit too long and lowered the final score and my overall feeling about this novel. Yes, the Iron Chef scenes and characters eventually pay off in a big way but I feel the length of it was a bit self indulgent on Ken's behalf.

    However, the big twist, the impending sense of another big war coming with the re-opening of the Wall of Storms combined with brilliant characterization still has me in thrall and I still read this massive volume in record time and eagerly look forward to the conclusion.

4. Spartacus: House of Ashur: 9.5 - RAVE

    

    Spartacus: House of Ashur takes an concept I would have never thought believable and just made it work. Like how can Spartacus creator and visionary, Steven S. DeKnight take Ashur, one of the most infuriating, evil members of the Spartacus lore and make him not only a hero of his own story but a likeable person? How!? But by Jupiter's Cock did he do it. By episode 3 of 10, I found myself cheering for Ashur and his people and by episode 10 I was roared with him when he delivered the coup de grâce in one of the most amazing endings for a episode of television I have ever watched. If you know, you know. Combined that with a natural born star in Tenika Davis as the female gladiator Achilla and her tragic and compelling story and you have a season filled with thrills and chills. The final battle between Achilla and her opponent was so satisfying that as soon as I finished the episode, I instantly re-watched the fight again, something I have never done before.

    I actually purchased Starz so I could watch this and I must say I was not disappointed. I am so ready for a season 2 announcement because I can not wait to see where they go from here. I have a prediction that House of Ashur will have a very high spot on my year end LIST and it is just February. Yes, it is that good.

3. The Empyrean: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros: 9.5 - RAVE

    

    As my previous LIST mentioned, I enjoyed 'Iron Flame' the second book of Rebecca Yarro's Empyrean epic but I felt it suffered from some pacing issues. Well did Onyx Storm address those issues and more. Onyx Storm's motto should be 'All Gas, No Breaks' because from the first chapter, this was a full-on tour de force that never let me go. This book had some moments that still stick with me and the emotional trauma Rebecca puts us through is just not right. This book now stands as my favorite book in all her Empyrean books I have read so far and that is no easy feat because I LOVE Fifth Wing.

    However it is not all praise. I feel some of the spice can get a bit much (and I know, I know, you need the romance in the romantasy) but why is all the love and angst between Xaden and Violet? I would like some other characters. Like can we explore their relationships? I know we might see some more of that in the upcoming thanks to the introduction of multiple POVs (which I really enjoyed) so we might be moving in the right direction there but yes, Xaden x Violet pairings for the fifth/sixth time does not take away from how much of a win this book is. I was already invested in The Empyrean but now I am ravenous for the next volumes.

2. Absolute Batman Vol 2 Abomination: 10 - RAVE

 

    A perfect 10 and it is still not the # 1 piece of content? Yep. But does it deserve its perfect 10?! Even more of a yes. It is hilarious I have spoken in length of Scott Snyder and when he writes certain characters I like his writing but I don't always love it however when Scott is locked in, the man is locked the fuck in. Absolute Batman was always a highlight for me but in this second volume, so much happens and it is all amazing.

    From Absolute Mr. Freeze, to Bane's origin and him breaking Bruce's friends to get to him. This was a rollercoaster ride I did not want to get off. Combine this with Nick Dragotta doing magic with his pencils and illustrating the most intimating Bane and Killer Croc I have ever seen. All Dragotta's re-designs are frame-able to be honest because they are all amazing.

    Top it off with one of the best, knockdown dragged out battles to conclude the arc and there was no way I was not going to give this volume a 10. Absolute Batman is a movement right now with a lot of people discussing it and praising it and it deserves it 100%. This is the pinnacle for comic story telling right now, no doubt. If you have not gone 'All In' and you enjoy comics? You owe it to yourself to give Abs Batman a try, you won't be disappointed.

1. Predator: Killer of Killers: 10 - RAVE

    In a month of Yarros,  Liu's,  Absolutes and the return of one of my favorite TV shows (I own all the seasons of Spartacus... long live physical media) who had the honor of taking the top spot? Why Predator: Killer of Killers of course. This anthology of short films all tied in with an amazing ending is hands down my favorite media for the month of February. Everything about this was amazing, cool predators, cool weapons, cool kills (Predators in the SKY!) and some of the most epic stories told. Under the guiding vision of Dan Trachtenberg, the Predator franchise for me has gone from strength to strength. Prey was amazing, Badlands was amazing but hands down my favorite piece of media he has made is this animated epic right here.

    The Japanese storyline of Samurai vs Ninja vs Predator was everything I have ever wanted in a Predator story and it was told mostly without dialogue which made it even more epic. My only gripes with this film are so minor it won't even deduct points from it. Also the set-up with that post credit scene makes me salivate for more of this. I currently write two sets of notes for this LIST, the final product which you are reading here and my thoughts, immediately after I watch it. I wrote in my immediate thoughts that I feel if this was not animated it would be my favorite piece of Predator media. I no longer feel that way. This IS my favorite piece of Predator media. If this was available on DVD or Blu-ray I would buy it without a thought. In a month stacked with easy # 1 on any other LIST, Predator: Killer of Killers rose to the top.

Phew, that was a lot so without more to say, see y'all next month!

AV

LIST: My Top 15 Favorite Things of 2025

 

    What a year. 2025 became a year of making things happen for me. I decided to turn my focus towards more reading, writing and other creative ventures especially at the halfway point of the year. This year saw a sizable drop in videos games I played and enjoyed but a massive increase in books read. Including with the reading, I also wrote more than I have ever written and as of this blog, am one chapter away from finishing my first trilogy of books for Cloudale, a story which has existed purely in my mind for years.

    This year also started what is becoming one of my favorite things, my month recap the 'Rants & Raves Reviews'. So as we draw to the end of this year, I decided it is time to look back and discuss my favorite things of 2025. To not repeat myself, I'll be linking to my previous blogs but I will add extra thoughts if they are needed.

15. Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo

14. Wolverine Revenge

13. GRIME

P.S My only video game on the LIST this year. I immensely enjoyed this game to the point where I was determined to 100% all aspects of it. It challenged me and made me enjoy a genre (metroidvania) I have previously dismissed as not for me. I looking forward to the sequel with a lot of anticipation.

12. I Will Find You by Harlan Coben

P.S. My first Harlan book and arguably my favorite out of the three I have read so far. I aim to steadily read all of his books (because his writing style feels similar to mine and is great inspiration) but you never forget your first.

11. The Things we leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros

P.S. During there previous showdown, linked above, Harlan won, however in hindsight I think I now enjoy Rebecca's book more. I think it doesn't help Harlan's case I have read more of both of these authors and I think Rebecca has a slight edge over Harlan for me.

10. Paradise Season 1

9. Secret Warriors (full series)

8. The Wicked + The Divine

P.S Secret Warriors was rated higher in the original LIST but in the year end LIST I think Wic + Div has the slight edge. Funny because I love Hickman's writing much more then Gillen's.

7. Our Unwritten Seoul

6. Fourth Wing

5. Moving

4. Secret

P.S I guess the end of the year LIST is when I am finally able to break the tie between Secret and Moving.

3. The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu

P.S RAVE to come and slight spoiler for December's LIST.

2. The Paper Menagerie and other stories by Ken Liu

1. Purple Kiss concert: A Violet to Remember

P.S It was kind of hard to beat a once in a lifetime opportunity especially with Purple Kiss' disbandment now. The whole experience was amazing, seeing one of my favorite groups live was an experience like no other and hands down my favorite thing of this year.

AV

LIST: August's Rants & Raves

 Building on last month's LIST, I have decided to make it an ongoing thing to review most of the media I consume. This month we are adding 'completed' comic books to the list as well. The Rants & Raves system goes like this, rating from worst to best: RANT, Okay, OKAY, Rave, RAVE. This was a busy month so without more to say, lets talk about it.

13. Old : 7/10 - OKAY

Thanks to Amazon Prime, I was finally able to watch Old, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Even tho this is least favorite piece of media for this month, it is actually not that bad. The films pacing was decent, it had some good actors including Aaron Pierce before his 'breakout 'film Rebel Ridge and the storyline was good enough.

However, I do not know why the film casted foreign actors and make them speak English because it was noticeable when they struggled with the language. I do not mind actors speaking in their native tongue, I watch a lot of foreign content and I prefer subtitles over dubs 90% of the time but I guess for an English language film, they needed them to speak English and it just felt odd choice to make. Also the twist was completely un-necessary and I feel M. Night has built his brand over his twists now and sometimes I feel the movie can just shine on it own without a 'uh huh' moment. I originally had another M. Night film in my catalog of films to watch, The Village, but because of Old and me needing a break from his style of film, I have pushed further back in my catalog. Maybe in September we will get to it.

12. Star Trek Discovery Season 4: 7.5/10 - OKAY

Normally a 7.5 on my rating would be classified as a Rave but I am thinking of changing my rating system slightly going forward. I think a 7.5 should be classified as an OKAY and I have no problems giving Season 4 of Discovery an OKAY rating because that is what it was.

Thanks to my local library, I have been able to watch Star Trek Discovery, season by season and while I do not hate it as much as some Trekkers do (and for the most un-reasonable reasons too), I do feel it will eventually rate as a decent series. I do enjoyable it has ongoing arcs, I do enjoy most of the cast. However this season showed a lot of problems with it and I can't ignore them anymore. The storyline while decent but filler episodes galore (All In I am looking at you in particular) spoiled what could have been a really good story. It also did not help they sidelined arguably my favorite character Tilly early on as well. Compared to other seasons of Discovery; it felt lacking to me. It also did not help I saw a much better version of this season but I'll save that for my Season 2 review.

11. The Iron Trial: Book 1 of the Magisterium by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black: 8/10 - Rave 

Okay, big confession. For awhile my wife and I was consuming YA novels like a madmen. I read The Hunger Games and a couple other YA books but the ones I enjoyed reading the most was the Shadowhunters series of books written by Cassandra Clare and I really enjoyed her trilogy set in the past called The Infernal Devices. During my Cassandra Clare reading days I learned of pentalogy of books she planned to write with a good friend, Holly Black. Me and my wife actually bought the first book when it came out but also around this time me and my wife both had a falling out with the YA/ Cassandra Clare craze and we subsequently ignore every book of this pentalogy and even anything Shadowhunter related she wrote as well.

Well early in August, I remember we bought this book and decided to add it to my reading list and I actually enjoyed it. Sure, it borrows a lot from Harry Potter and similar books but it has its own uniqueness which made it stand out to me. The characters are a like-able bunch, there was a nice twist and  I also forgot how easy it was to read YA books like this and it was a nice juxtaposition to the other big book I was reading this month, which I will discuss later in this list. The main thing is, this first book did its job and I will eventually read the second book in this series and maybe even pick up some Shadowhunter books I have missed a long the way to. It may be third last thing in this list but I actually recommend this book to anyone who likes this genre.

10. Wicked: 8/10 - Rave

Second big confession. I think I do not mind musicals anymore. I used to actually avoid any movie that was a musical, however over time I realized I can watch them and even enjoy some of them. The most recent The Color Purple for example? I enjoy the heck out of it. I have even seen some musicals live recently and I am not bored out of mind anymore. I guess I just had to have the right mindset for them and now I have it, I can enjoy them. How can I relate this long confession to Wicked? Well, I think it might be my favorite musical of recent memory.

I was actively avoiding this film for the longest time. I must admit over time I have grown to not like Ariana Grande as a person. Do not ask me why but she just rubs me the wrong way. Add that to Cynthia Erivo's meltdown over a edited picture (you all know the one) and well I did not know if I wanted to watch something with both of them in it. However when the chance arrived to watch it for free, I decided to give it a try and I am happy I did. Both leads killed it, singing wise with Cynthia as 'different' as she is being a particular stand-out. Gal can SANG. I love how they remixed the story of the Wizard of Oz and I enjoyed the sheer spectacle of it. I enjoyed this movie so much that when its sequel comes out later this year, I think me and my wife will be seeing in the theater. It was that good. Also as a big fan of Jon M. Chu, I am happy he is finally getting recognized as well for his directing. I have followed him since his web series The Legion of Xtraorindary Dancers and it is nice to see him have another massive hit under his belt to go with his Crazy Rich Asians success.

9. Butterfly: 8/10 - Rave

Along side Jon M. Chu getting more recognition I am also happy to see another industry stalwart Daniel Dae-Kim his flowers too. DDK has been in the business for a long time (I remember seeing him in the Angel tv series lifetimes ago) and it is nice he finally has his moment in the sun with a product he really believes in. Butterfly based on the graphic novel by Arash Amel was brought to people's attention thanks to DDK and after reading the source material I am happy the creator of the series and DDK changed it enough to make it even better, at least to me. The graphic novel was good but as a TV series it just worked better.

The cast was great, with them being able to merge the worlds of the west with DDK, Piper Perabo and Reina Hardesty (who a newcomer to me, did an amazing job bringing Rebecca to life) with the east by bringing in well known Korean talent like Kim Tae-hee, Park Hae-soo (of Squid Games fame), Kim Ji-hoon (who plays bad a bit too well) and ol' reliable veteran actor Sung Dong-il, which if you watch any Korean media you should know who he is. The story was compelling and the action was shot well. I also enjoyed how much of Korea was shown off and I know this was something DDK wanted to do explicitly. 

However it is at the bottom end of this month's list because despite it being a marriage of East and West, the West sensibilities took over. Instead of a true marriage, it seem the West influences won because Butterfly has more western DNA then eastern sadly. The action was more violent, the sexuality was turned up and the curse of every western show, the need to write for a second season showed its head with a very 'on-the-nose' cliffhanger. I honestly had higher hopes for it and I do hope it gets renewed because of it does not, I feel my rating will go down considerably because of how it ended. Referencing my Old Guard 2 review, I do not enjoy when media is written with sequels in mind when it is not guaranteed. Purposely cutting your work off at the knees in aims for more profit/ more product is never a good look to me.

8. Star Trek Discovery Season 2: 8/10 - Rave

Earlier in this very blog, I discussed how much season 4 of Discovery was good but there was better examples of what they did. Well, season 2 is that example. The storyline was much more compelling, the filler episodes felt less tacked on (they were definitely some filler episodes tho, looking at you New Eden) and despite the cast getting bloated with new additions like Captain Christopher Pike and Spock, they were welcomed additions. I think it helped that Michelle Yeoh's Captain Georgiou was a bigger part of this season and well, she is just amazing in every scene she is placed in.

When the climax happened and everything clicked, it was some of the best Discovery I have watched  and I think following up on this season was not easy. Season 3, which I never reviewed here but I did watched did a decent job and I feel season 4 is when the cracks really begin to show. Both 3 and 4 tried to replicate what season 2 did and it just did hit the same for me at least. Season 2 showed what potential Discovery had and I even put it above seasons of my classic Trek like Voyager and DS9. It was that good.

7. Imajica by Clive Barker: 8/10 - Rave

Imajicia by my favorite author of all time Clive Barker is a massive book. At 800 + pages, it took me awhile to get through it and at the end I can say, I enjoyed it. However compared to most of Mr. Barker's amazing work, I rate it pretty low on my favorites of his. Sad because Imajica was a book, I have owned for years and I purposely sat on it because of its scope and its almost mythical status in Barker's fan circles. The beginning of the book? Yes, I relate and I agree but Imajica lost me a lot during the middle of the book and almost near the end as well. Thankfully the last couple of chapters really redeemed it in my eyes and I started really enjoying it again but for awhile Imajica could have got a 7.5 or even a 7 from me.

It is wild saying this but I feel sometimes Clive himself got caught up in the scope of it and he lost his way, at least to me. I also feel, what he attempted in Imajica, he has fully realized in his Abarat series, his series of novels designed for Younger readers because Abarat explores the scope of multiple worlds linked together so much better. However without a doubt, Imajica does have Clive at his best when it comes to sensuality tho, in that, Imajica is probably one of his best novels exploring that. Overall, a good book that lost its way but finished strong.

6. Heart Eyes: 8.5/10 - RAVE

Even though this film has been panned by some people I really enjoyed it and it almost cracked my top 5 favorite media for last month. I enjoyed everything about this movie, I love the storyline and the twists which even tho they seemed obvious to me, was still a nice surprise. I enjoyed the sometimes ironic but also well placed popular music used through-out it. I particular enjoyed the main cast, starting with Mason Gooding (Cuba Gooding Jr's son all grown up) as a likeable male lead and Olivia Holt who I really enjoyed as Dagger in Marvel TV's Cloak and Dagger, as the female lead.

Heart Eyes feels closely related to Scream movies where it almost feels like a parody of horror movies while still being a well filmed and a well scripted horror film. All I can really say is if you enjoyed a bit of comedy with your terror and don't mind a bit of blood (because it gets bloody, trust me) and even some romance with chemistry, you might enjoy this as much as I did. Also can we get Olivia Holt and her Cloak and Dagger co-star Aubrey Joseph in more media please? They are two bright stars who should get more shine.

5. Fantastic Four: First Steps: 8.5/10 - RAVE

After so many failed attempts by Fox to make a Fantastic Four movie, Marvel finally came along and showed them how to do it. The anti-thesis of the super dark Fantastic Four (2015) where Fox tried to turn Marvel's first family into a grim dark body horror film filled with dark corridors, Marvel's FF: First Steps brings back what made the Fantastic Four such great heroes in the first place, their sense of family and hope.

Using a retro future aesthetic fused with the soul of Jack Kirby (the often overlooked co-creator of a lot of Marvel's greatest heroes) Matt Shakman (showrunner of another retro futuristic Marvel property WandaVision) understood the assignment and he showcased the FF in ways we have no seen before. Never has someone understood the bond between the Storm siblings like he did, the brotherhood Reed and Ben shared, the love between Reed and Sue and the friendly rivalry between the Human Torch and The Thing. His Galactus? Perfect. Shakman and his team, made Galactus the threat he deserved to be. I think First Steps is in my top 5 because this is the Fantastic Four I grew up reading. The only people who did not enjoy this movie do not understand the source material and that sucks... for you. This and Superman showed that not all superhero films need to be dark and gritty to be good and for that I am thankful because after so many failed attempts, we finally got a movie deserving to be called 'Fantastic'.

4. Thunderbolts *: 8.5/10 - RAVE

It is funny that I started my month with Fantastic Four: First Steps and I ended the month with another Marvel film, however Thunderbolts * understood the assignment as well and I enjoyed it as much, if not even more then the Fantastic Four in some parts, hence the higher placement.

The anti-Avengers nature of Thunderbolts * is not lost on me. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine played to perfection by Julia Louis-Dreyfus was the Nick Fury of this phase of Marvel movies, slowly building a group of imperfect heroes but unlike Fury, de Fontaine did not have the best interest of the world in mind and she recruited a team of screw ups, hot heads and loners and aimed them at each other. Classic Marvel magic happens and they end up teaming up and saving the world from what maybe the most OP hero ever, The Sentry.

It is a shame Thunderbolts * did not do well because it captures so much of what made Marvel movies good for the last decade. The spectacle super powered fight scenes, the light hearted comedy and snappy dialogue (which people are now all of a sudden not a fan of anymore) and the perfect casting of the right people for the right roles. I am standing on business when I say Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova is up there with RDJ as Tony Stark, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers and Chris Hemsworth as Thor as a person who is perfectly casted and embodies their roles. Even the film tackling such a sensitive subjects like trauma, loss of family and mental health was done really well that did not come off as heavy handed or preachy.

 I only have a one big misgiving with it. Like a lot of people *SPOILERS I do not understand the need to include Taskmaster and then to kill her off so quickly * Other than that, Thunderbolts * was a great time and I am happy to place it in my top 5 media I have watched this month.

3. On Writing by Stephen King: 9/10 - RAVE

As anyone who regularly follows this blog knows I am writing a trilogy of novels centered around my fictional town of Cloudale. The recent lack of updates on this blog is actually because of said novels. To help me with this novel, I have started consuming a lot of media, be it, movies, books, tv series and graphic novels. This consumption actually gave birth to the LIST you are reading right now.

To help me with this task, I am not only reading novels but I also reading novels about writing novels, so who better to help then Stephen King himself. One of my favorite authors, I always heard his book about writing, On Writing was one of the best to help you learn how to write so I bought it off Amazon and consumed it in record time.

The book is a mixture of autobiography and style manual and I can say it helped me a lot. Mr. King is a great encourager and his section which shows you how to write is packed with gems that still resonate in my brain as I explore the streets of Cloudale. I have rated it so high and it is listed so high on this LIST because of the impact it has on me. I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, if you want to write a book, On Writing is essential reading.

2. Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo: 9/10 - RAVE

With this month, I have expanded my LIST to include novels as well as graphic novels. It is funny because after expanding it I realized I did it because I wanted to draw attention to my top 3 favorite pieces of media for the month of August. At # 2, we have arguably a surprise but in a way, not a surprise. Absolute Batman.

Like everyone else who follows comics, I heard about Absolute Batman, a Batman re-imagined for a much darker universe with a different but familiar origin story, a much more brutal Bruce who is drawn with massive muscles and a weird bat logo on his chest which turns into a Battle-ax (yes, you heard that correctly). A Batman without sidekicks with Alfred playing a completely different role and new, reimagined villains to go with the reimagined dark knight. This book turns Martha Wayne from a woman in a refrigerator into an agent of change and volition. I was thrown by the concept but it intrigued me so when I got the chance to read the first volume, which collects issues 1 to 6, I was hooked. Despite all I said above or perhaps because of it, this is the most excited I have been to read a Batman comic in forever. It low-key does not surprise me tho. I have frequently enjoyed Scott Snyder's work, calling him (for me at least) DC's Jonathan Hickman in the way he has such unique ideas and his follow through. Snyder's dialogue is always on-point too and he just understand these characters. Combine that with the always striking art of Nick Dragotta of East of West fame (aka one of my favorite comic book series of ALL TIME) and I knew I would enjoy it but enjoy it this much? Even I could not predict how much and it is # 2 on this very large list of a reason. I am actually looking forward to a ongoing DC series, my brother Larry (Rest in Peace) would be so happy because I normally don't enjoy DC books but Absolute Batman has me hooked.

1. Wolverine Revenge: 9.5/10 - RAVE

Despite singing its praises above; Absolute Batman did not obtain the top spot for the month of August, no, that honor belongs to Wolverine Revenge. Never have I read a trade that after I finished it I wanted to read the whole thing again. As I read Wolverine Revenge, I have a look of glee on my face as I consumed all five issues within one sitting. Wolverine Revenge has the top spot on this LIST simply because nothing I have watched or read this month can compare to it.

Of course I am biased. My favorite comic book author of all time Jonathan Hickman wrote it to perfection. Greg Capullo, one of Marvel's biggest artists whom they lost to Image (specifically Spawn) came back to draw it. Not just covers too, he drew the interiors as well and he was firing on all cylinders. I always enjoyed Capullo's run on X-Force in the early 90's but he has just got better over time and he flexes that in Wolverine Revenge. Every slash from Wolvie's adamantium claws have bite and no expense was spared, this is Wolverine at his most savage and I love it.

Two masters of their craft, one clear purpose: revenge and a awesome twist which I will not spoil. I have to give it my highest recommendation, it simply deserves it.

AV