15 Fave Freaky Fictions

And by "fictions," I mean "books" but, you know, #alliteration. Here are 15 of my fave scary reads (so far), in order of publication date bc the idea of trying to rank them makes me feel faint. They're linked to their Goodreads pages, where you'll find buy links so you can check out pricing at your purveyor of choice, if you're so inclined. Publishers' book blurbs are in purple italics; my thoughts follow.

Spook Out! Day 28 ~ Ramekin (2018)

Amazon Says...
"Emily...[is] a college girl in New York City coming to live in the spacious Upper West Side apartment of her recently-deceased grandmother. There she encounters a little white porcelain cup--a ramekin--that slowly begins to control her life and demand the unthinkable."

I Say...
^That's exactly right and BOY what a ride!

Horror Type...
Horror Comedy, Surreal, Supernatural

Main Players...
Jamie Saunders as Emily (Tidy College Girl)
Renee Adrienne Vito as Jane (The BFF with the Stupid Face)
Adriano La Rocca as Mark (The Cute But Clueless Neighbor)

I liked...
I've been bullet-pointing for this section in my previous reviews but for Ramekin I'm going stream-of consciousness bc that's the only way I can think to tackle it right now.

I love how precise all of Emily's motions are, down to her diction and phrasing. Her face is wonderfully expressive and that big-ass smile she whips out is both beautiful and terrifying. I dig that she gets a few moments of grace to see that something's terribly wrong and she's not quite herself and wants to get out of whatever hell she's in. But she can't bc Ramekin.

I adore surreal humor, and this horror-comedy is just that. I mean, it's a ridiculous situation--being controlled by a ramekin? A ramekin??? Yet, the writing and Saunders' amazing work really sell it for me. Some of the dialogue made me cringe, other bits made me literally laugh out loud. And then there were these moments when a lick of terror seriously shot through me as I sat there helpless (much like Emily, but without any cupcakes, more's the pity).

The "poetry" in this is risible, when it's not utterly chilling. (Mark, how could you not understand?????)

The soundtrack's groovy!

Also, any New Yorker can appreciate that the only way a college student could lay claim to a lovely furnished apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side is if it were haunted or possessed by...something. (HAH!)

The Meh...
There's a bit in the beginning when Emily's trying to leave Ramekin in the dish rack that goes on a little long and could lose a viewer's interest--but stick with it!

The ending's even more bizarre and I couldn't quite grok it till I read writer/director/ filmmaker Cody Clarke's (or someone bearing his handle) explanation in this Reddit thread.

Would I recommend it...?

Yes! It's kooky and it's creepy, hilariously freaky, it's altogether unique-y--and for Amazon Primers, free! I heart this film so much I'm including a teaser for it:

Miscellany...

Please watch this ultra indie movie (made on a $500 budget!). Let's support indie artists so Hollywood gets the message that we don't want remakes, we want original creative voices!!!

Ratings...

My Grade: A-
Article #2: Ramekin Review!
Regrettably, there's no Rotten Tomatoes page for Ramekin.

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Ramekin on Amazon

Ramekin's IMDb Page

A Wikipedia Page for Ramekin does not currently exist.

This concludes day 28 of

Spook Out! Day 15 ~ I Still See You (2018)

Amazon Says...
"Several after years after a cataclysmic event, Ronnie's suburban world has mostly returned to normal, except that the world is shared with ghosts, and one of them appears to be trying to kill her."

I Say...
^Yeah, that's about right!

Horror Type...
Sci-Fi, Thriller, Supernatural

Main Players...
Bella Thorne as Veronica "Ronnie" Calder (Gen Z Lydia Deetz)
Richard Harmon as Kirk Lane (Spook-Researching Ally)
Dermot Mulroney as August Bittner (Cool Teacher)

I liked...

• the really interesting, unique ideas developed here
• how cleverly the "rules" of this world were conveyed to the audience
• the crazysauce of folks adjusting to seeing "spectral remnants" on the regular
• how well the post-apocalyptic dreariness played out (although "post apocalyptic" seems to apply to one city only, and not the world)
• that Ronnie's a smart gal and works to piece things together, wisely seeking help instead of trying to go it alone

The Meh...

• There's a missed dramatic opportunity of "telling not showing" toward the end which cheats Kirk and the audience
• I really liked this but I can't say I found it compelling. Maybe the first two-thirds of the movie felt like an exercise in mood-setting and discovery (which makes sense), but any sense of urgency only kicked in during the third act (as there was a literal deadline). There are definitely some good scares here, and the creep factor is strong, but I just feel like there could've been a little more...intensity. Or cowbell.

Would I recommend it...?

Sure! It was a fun little spook-fest with a satisfying ending, great for a bit of Halloween viewing.

Miscellany...

The title's somewhat misleading; "I Still See You" seems like it'd better fit a slasher-movie. Also, it's disappointing to me that a film with some really good, original thoughts didn't do better with critics.

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=8%, Audience Scores=50%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched I Still See You on Amazon (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

I Still See You's IMDb Page

I Still See You's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 15 of

Spook Out! Day 10 ~ Honeymoon (2014)

Hulu Says...
"Young newlyweds Paul and Bea travel to a remote lake cottage for their honeymoon, where the promise of private romance awaits them. Shortly after arriving, Paul finds Bea wandering and disoriented in the middle of the night. As she becomes more distant and her behavior increasingly peculiar, Paul begins to suspect something more sinister than sleepwalking took place in the woods."

I Say...
You can't say any more than that^ about the film without giving things away, so I won't.

Horror Type...
Supernatural, Thriller, Indie

Main Players...
Rose Leslie as Bea (Ginger Bride)
Harry Treadaway as Paul (Suspicious Groom)
Hanna Brown as Annie (The Gal Ain't Right)

I liked...

• the slow, steady burn of weird
• how close the newlyweds were
• the remote setting--major creep vibes come gratis with a cabin in the woods, as we all know
• the subtle ways in which the bride lets slip that all's not well with her (much to her chagrin)
• how even as he's getting more and more freaked out, the groom's main concern throughout is his bride's well-being and how he can help her overcome whatever's troubling her

The Meh...

• I can foresee some folks being put-off/growing restless with the slowness of this movie's burn (but it kept my attention and interest from start to stop)
• while the couple's still in the first flush of their honeymoon, their schmoopiness* could be a little annoying to some viewers (*that's totally a word)

Would I recommend it...?

Yes, but take note: though it reaches a horrifying conclusion, the bulk of the film is "merely" unsettling, which may not satisfy hardcore horror fans. OTOH, in the third act there's a gory sequence which may not be appreciated by lighter fans of horror.

Miscellany...

• You may recognize Rose Leslie from Game of Thrones, but I remember her from her (short) stint on Downton Abbey
• I first saw Harry Treadaway in the wonderfully creepy Penny Dreadful series

Ratings...

My Grade: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer= 75%, Audience Score=44%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched Honeymoon on Hulu (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

Honeymoon's IMDb Page

Honeymoon's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes day 10 of

Spook Out! Day 1 ~ The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Netflix Says...

"A father-son team of small-town coroners performs an autopsy on an unidentified woman with mysterious injuries and a terrifying secret."

I say...

That's a pretty good summary. Bravo, Netflix.

Horror Type...

Supernatural, mystery, medical-procedural

Main Players...

Brian Cox as Tommy Tilden (That's Papa Coroner)

Emile Hirsch as Austin Tilden (Baby Coroner)

Olwen Kelly as Jane Doe (make that Jane Don't bc EEEK!)

I liked...

• the very methodical, matter-of-fact way the gentlemen go about their work, and the compassion they show their Jane Doe (until it's thoroughly appropriate not to)
• the vibe, which is moody to start and masterfully builds up the creep factor to 11
• the pacing, which raised the level of intrigue in a steady, satisfying way
• the way the story engaged me and made me both desire and dread to learn more about the deceased's origins
• the way it made me worry about Papa and Baby Coroners

I thought The Autopsy of Jane Doe presented an original idea in an entertaining, hair-raising, way. Also, an occasional view of the body's unmentionables was to be expected, as it was being autopsied after all, but I'm pleased to report there was no gratuitous squickery. (If you will.)

The Meh...

• Papa Coroner came to some (very kind) conclusions about Jane that I can't agree with, given how the movie ends
• Important questions are left unanswered (but then, there's probs going to be a sequel)
• Baby Coroner (medical assistant) had a stereotypically two-dimensional, annoying girlfriend (I liked the actor who played her a lot in her role on Whiskey Cavalier) who served as a mere...what? I don't even know. Plot device? Through her we learn something interesting about the son, but it never develops further because...well, no spoilers here but I just wonder what the point was in even bringing his little secret up as it neither reveals character, nor advances the plot. But that's a minor quibble, bc...

Would I recommend it...?

I would, and I do! Watch it during an ominous storm, if you can. Definitely don't let the sunshine in...

Miscellany...

I knew I recognized Papa Coroner from something or other. But I've looked up his filmography and I still don't know where I've seen him before, lol. (Probably bc he's been in a LOT of stuff!) I have to commend his wonderful American accent in this flick--I had no idea he was a Scot!

Ratings...

My Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Scores: Tomatometer=86%, Audience Score=70%

Details, Schmeetails...

I Watched The Autopsy of Jane Doe on Netflix (the Rotten Tomatoes page linked above provides links to other host sites)

The Autopsy of Jane Doe's IMDb Page

The Autopsy of Jane Doe's Wikipedia Page (Contains Spoilers)

This concludes Day 1 of...

Liebe me, liebe me...

...say that you liebe me like Penelope Crowe, author of 100 Unfortunate Days does. Thanks, Ms. Crowe, for passing this Liebster on to me. Readers, if you're in the mood for something dark and quirky, check out a free sample of 100 Unfortunate Days; if this doesn't wig you out, I don't know what will, fo' shizzle.

There are numerous steps involved in the acceptance of a Liebster: stating 11 things about yourself, answering 11 questions asked by the person granting you the award, nominating 11 other bloggers for a Liebster and concocting 11 questions for them to answer. Well, if you've been following along this week, you know I worked crazy hours at my day job and am pretty dang beat. Also, I've received this bad boy a few times, now, and the third one (I think) very recently indeed. So I'll tackle the 11 questions asked of me but won't be tagging peeps or making up questions for them, this time around. Anyone interested in claiming this Liebster/answering these questions (even if only in the comments), please feel free to do so.

And now, to Ms. Crowe's questions:

1. What projects have you just finished--and what are you working on now?

I've been editing my Greek mythological romance, That Fatal Kiss, with an eye to self-publishing it later this year, possibly September. After that, I plan to work on a "sampler" of three short supernatural romances, two of which sort of introduce the location of, and a couple of characters from, my next novel, a contemporary supernatural romance called Bedeviled (this will be the first book in a trilogy).

2. Do you have any hidden talents?

Nah, but I got a couple of shekels in my piggy bank. (See what I did there? Talents/shekels were/are units of monetary currency. Didja geddit? Didja, didja, huh, huh???)

3. If you had NO limitations and were a guaranteed success--what project would you undertake?

I'd produce/direct a mini-series of my fave Jane Austen novel, Northanger Abbey. And I wouldn't just hire the eye candy du jour to play the leads, but folks I truly felt bring the roles to life (as Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth did for Pride and Prejudice).

4. Please tell us three things on your bucket list.

Uh...well, I'd love to visit Jerusalem and walk where Jesus walked. Hmmm...This is tough. All my crazy dreams are goals I intend to see through to fruition...maybe I don't get the point of bucket lists...

5. What is the best and worst part of writing?

The best: like sex, it engrosses and revs me up. (Woof!) The worst: like sex, I never want to stop doing it but reality will intrude, damn it...

6. What character in a book or movie do you relate to the most?

Little Red Riding Hood. I've lived a very sheltered life and fell prey to wolves before learning some very difficult and painful lessons.

7. Are you more athletic or aesthetic?

Aesthetic.

8. Do you believe in anything supernatural? If so, what.

I believe that everything's possible (ghosts, werewolves, vampires, sea creatures, legit wicked witches, etc.). The only supernatural beings I feel in my heart and soul to be real are God, His Holy Posse, plus the Devil and his cursed crew.

9. What makes you happy?

Singing my songs with like-music-minded band members backing me up, sex, writing, sex, reading, sex, chocolate, sex, live open-air concerts by my fave bands, sex, realio-trulio good coffee (light, with half and half), sex, losing myself in a theater to portrayals of humorous horror, sex...I did mention sex, right? I'd hate to leave it out, inadvertently.

10. If you could be smarter or better looking--which would you choose and why?

Hmmm! Actually, I'd choose to be brasher, less self-restrictive/censoring.

11.  Whom do you admire the most and how does this person inspire you?

Just generally, I admire people who feel particular passions burning inside their hearts and actively seek to release that fire into the world, despite the doubting voices (both internal and external).

So, yeah, if any of you are inclined to answer these questions, either on your own blog or here in the comments, I'd love to read whatcha gots to say. Meanwhile...