Nette's Thoughts: January 2017

Monday, January 30, 2017

Wax; Sweet Sensations Wax Melts & More; Winnings & Swap

Vendor; Sweet Sensations Wax Melts & More

Order; Game Winnings & Swap

Website; None currently

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/397435127094474/

Owner; Katie Gingrich

YouTube Reveals;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K2RM4sjl1I

What I received;

1. Pink Sugar Lollipops Prize Candle

2. Box of 4 sweet treats tarts

a. Abby’s Sugar Buzz

b. Rainbow Bridge

c. Vanilla Bean Noel

d. Summertime on Bleecker Street

3. Sample of new scents

a. Very Berry Flapjacks

b. Red, Blue & Blonde

c. Strawberry Tea & Cakes

d. Miami Vice

e. It’s all good

4. Big Lego/Robot tart in Strawberry Gummy Lava

5. Brain tart in Pear

6. Huge teddy bear tart in Vanilla Sugar Bean Noel

7. Bakery Bag full of small tarts

a. Rainbow Mango Tango

b. Welcome to Hollywood

c. Cabernit Savrioughn Wine

d. Blueberry Muffin/VBN

e. Lemon Strawberry Sugar Cookies

f. Rainbow Kissed Peaches

g. Butterscotch Marshmallow

Non-Wax Items

1. MK Head scarf

2. Bag of salt water taffy

3. Candy Bar

4. Lotion

5. Face wipes

6. A lip balm (that was promptly stolen from my daughter)

Thoughts;

Honestly I have no idea what was a win and what was for our swap LOL. There was so much goodness in this box!

I know how some people think of the games that vendors and other people do, but personally I see no issues with them. You pay $1 to $2 for a spot to win some wonderful items.

I love this vendor! Her wax is amazing! I encourage everyone to check her out!

Scent Descriptions; All are taken and copied directly from the vendor

Abbys Sugar Buzz(HOUSE BLEND) - A sweet blend of cotton candy, blue raspberry slushie, green apple jolly rancher and sweetarts. The perfect combo of sweet and sugar!!

Cabernet Sauvignon Wine - I LOVE THIS SCENT!!!! Sweet aroma of wild grapes enhanced with hints of strawberries and sweet sugary notes with a light alcoholic background.

It's All Good (house blend) - This scent reminds me of walking into an ice cream parlor with the scent It's All Good - This scent reminds me of walking into an ice cream parlor with the scent of fresh made waffle cones! This sweet treat is a blend of sweet strawberries, creamy whipped cotton candy and waffle cone! Yup, it's all good!! fresh made waffle cones! This sweet treat is a blend of sweet strawberries, creamy whipped cotton candy and waffle cone! Yup, it's all good!!

Miami Vice - This scent is a fruity/tropical blend of pina colada and strawberry daiquiri! Delicious, just like the drink itself!!!

Rainbow Kissed Peaches - Imagine biting into a sun ripened peach covered in sugar crystals, yup that’s it!!
Rainbow Bridge(HOUSE BLEND) - An amazing layered blend that is sweet and fruity with a fizzy POP! Layered with Blue Raspberry Slushy, Orange, Grape and Strawberry Soda Pop

RED BLUE AND BLONDE (house blend) - This scent is amazing!!! Fresh picked berries and bubbly champagne notes! This is by far one of my FAVORITE scent blends!!! It's amazing!
Summertime on Bleecker Street (HOUSE BLEND)- Created By: Jessica Buzzard - A fruity and delicious blend of Rainbow Sherbet, Blue Raspberry Slushy and Cotton Candy that will make you think it's summertime in the city!!!

Very Berry Flapjacks - Fresh picked berries blended with creamy homemade pancakes and rich maple syrup.

Welcome to Hollywood (HOUSE BLEND) A Sunny Sweet mixture of creamy fruits, champagne and sugar - The perfect blend of glitz and glamour!!

Movie; Trolls (2016) Caution; Spoiler Alert

Trolls

Came out; 2016

Time; 1 Hour 32 Minutes

Watched on; Amazon

Rating; PG for mild rude humor

IMDB Rating; 6.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score;

Tomatoemeter: 74%.

Average Rating: 6.2/10.

Reviews Counted: 132.

Fresh; 98.

Rotten: 34.

71% Liked it

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Synopsis; After the Bergens invade Troll Village, Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, and the curmudgeonly Branch set off on a journey to rescue her friends.

Staring;

Anna Kendrick as Poppy

Justin Timberlake as Branch

Zooey Deschanel as Bridget

Christopher Mintz-Plasse as King Gristle

Christine Baranski as Chef

Russell Brand as Creek

Gwen Stefani as DJ Suki

Storyline;

From the creators of Shrek comes the most smart, funny, irreverent animated comedy of the year, DreamWorks' Trolls. This holiday season, enter a colorful, wondrous world populated by hilariously unforgettable characters and discover the story of the overly optimistic Trolls, with a constant song on their lips, and the comically pessimistic Bergens, who are only happy when they have trolls in their stomach. Featuring original music from Justin Timberlake, and soon-to-be classic mash-ups of songs from other popular artists, the film stars the voice talents of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Russell Brand, James Corden, Kunal Nayyar, Ron Funches, Icona Pop, Gwen Stefani, and many more. DreamWorks' TROLLS is a fresh, broad comedy filled with music, heart and hair-raising adventures.

Thoughts;

My son found this movie on a lazy Saturday afternoon. I have to say this movie is actually pretty cute. There’s a lot of singing in this movie.

The movie starts out with explanations of the Trolls and the Bergens. We then cut to Poppy throwing a party and inviting everyone! Of course Branch tells her it’s a really bad idea since it will attract the Bergens, that he won’t be coming and he will be hiding in his bunker. Well, low and behold the Bergens come and steal some of the trolls!

Poppy convinces Branch to help her. They end up on an adventure.

Movie; Allied (2016) Caution; Spoiler Alert

Allied

Came out; 2016

Time; 2 Hour 4 Minutes

Watched on; Amazon

Rating; R for violence, some sexuality/nudity, language and brief drug use

IMDB Rating; 7.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score;

Tomatoemeter: 61%.

Average Rating: 6.2/10.

Reviews Counted: 196.

Fresh; 120.

Rotten: 76.

67% Liked it

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Synopsis; In 1942, a Canadian intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.

Staring;

Brad Pitt as Max Vatan

Marion Cotillart as Marianne Beausejour

Vincent Ebrahim as Desert Driver

Xavier De Guillebon as Glaude

Camille Cottin as Monique

Michael McKell as German Office at Anfa Café

Vincent Latorre as Vincent

Storyline;

In the middle of World War II, in turbulent 1942, a plane flies over Morocco and drops a Royal Canadian Air Force paratrooper who comes in to land on a drop zone, somewhere in the desert dunes outside Casablanca. Just in time before anyone notices him, the fearless Wing Commander Max Vatan gets in a car and heads to the town with orders to meet Parisian Marianne Beauséjour, a skillful member of the French Resistance. On a mission to assassinate the German Ambassador in Casablanca, the two operatives must convince every one of their true feelings as a married couple, while in the background, they need to make the necessary preparations for the critical soirée. Without delay, after the success of this suicide mission, Max and Marianne flee together to England with plans on marrying and making a family, regardless of the war.

Thoughts;

The movie starts out with Brad Pitt’s character in the desert. He is picked up by a car and told what his wife is wearing. He then meets Marianne at a local bar.

Turns out, they are just meeting to do a few jobs. Of course in true movie fashion, they fall in love, get married and have a baby. Turns out she may be a German spy. Max is given instructions on what to do, then told if she is a spy, then he will either kill her or be killed.

The movie ends with Max, Marianne and their daughter Anna trying to escape. She kills herself and then the movie ends with a letter she wrote to her daughter.

My husband decided this was going to be the movie to watch. It was long, drawn out and so very boring! Yes, it was a love story, also a spy and war movie. Uggg….it just wasn’t good (in my opinion).

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Movie; The Other Side of the Door (2016) Caution; Spoiler Alert

The Other Side of the Door

Came out; 2016

Time; 1 Hour 36 Minutes

Watched on; Amazon

Rating; R for some bloody violence

IMDB Rating; 5.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score;

Tomatoemeter: 39%.

Average Rating: 4.8/10.

Reviews Counted: 33.

Fresh; 13.

Rotten: 20.

31% Liked it

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Synopsis; After her young son is killed in a tragic accident, a women learns of a ritual which will bring him back to say goodbye, but when she disobeys a sacred warning, she upsets the balance between life and death.

Staring;

Sarah Wayne Callies as Maria

Jeremy Sisto as Michael

Sofia Rosinsky as Lucy

Logan Creran as Oliver

Suchitra Pillai as Piki

Storyline;

A family lives an idyllic existence abroad until a tragic accident takes the life of their young son. The inconsolable mother learns of an ancient ritual that will bring him back to say a final goodbye. She travels to an ancient temple, where a door serves as a mysterious portal between two worlds. But when she disobeys a sacred warning to never open that door, she upsets the balance between life and death.

Thoughts;

The movie starts out with Maria and Michael in India. They are talking about how beautiful it is there and Maria suggests that they move and live there full time. Michael agrees! Cut to what seems to be a few years later and they are living in India with their daughter. A family picture is shown and you see a boy also in the picture but he isn’t in the movie.

The wife seems to attempt to commit suicide and is saved. In the ambulance ride you see flash backs of a car accident that happened and how Oliver died.

Their maid (I think it’s never really explained as to what her roll in the family is) Piki tells Maria about a temple and a ritual where Maria can speak to her son and say good bye. She gives her all the instructions and one of them being, no matter what, don’t open the door until the sun comes up.

Maria takes the trip to the graveyard with Piki and others who dig up her son Oliver. The ritual needs the ashes of the dead so a ceremony is preformed where they burn Oliver’s body.

While in the temple Maria explores a little bit and is freaked out by a statue that she finds. She returns to the front by the door when she hears knocking. It turns out that Oliver is on the other side of the door speaking to her. They talk as Maria cries, then Oliver says he has to go. Of course, Maria opens the door to find nothing there but a strange man who had attended the ceremony earlier.

She runs home and then strange things start to happen. Lucy finds a stuffed toy that Oliver loved (and was buried with) and then starts talking to Oliver. All the plants and birds die along with the fish in their pond. That’s when Piki confronts Maria and tells her what is needed to stop everything from happening.

Maria refuses and while the family is out, Piki gathers everything of Oliver’s and all pictures of Oliver into garbage bags to burn it. Piki is killed but what appears to be her daughter.

Maria finishes what Piki started and while burning Oliver’s things she realizes that her daughter is on a swing. Maria upon going to Lucy realizes that she has been possessed. From here, Lucy kills the dog, tries to kill her dad and the crazy people come in to try and kill Lucy (because she is possessed by Oliver). Maria tells Oliver to leave Lucy alone and take her instead, which is exactly what happens. Maria is then killed.

The movie ends with Maria waking up on stairs and then she hears Michaels’s voice from behind the door telling her he has to see her one more time.

This movie had a good creep factor. Lots of “what would you do” type moments. It kept my attention. It had a pretty decent plot, decent acting and a few jump scares.

Movie; Incarnate (2016) Caution; Spoiler Alert

Incarnate

Came out; 2016

Time; 1 Hour 31 Minutes

Watched on; Amazon

Rating; PG-13 for intense sequences of horror violence, terror, disturbing images, brief strong language, sensuality and thematic elements.

IMDB Rating; 5.2/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score;

Tomatoemeter: 15%.

Average Rating: 3.4/10.

Reviews Counted: 26.

Fresh; 4.

Rotten: 22.

21% Liked it

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Synopsis; A scientist with the ability to enter the subconscious minds of the possessed must save a young boy from the grips of a demon with powers never seen before, while facing the horrors of his past.

Staring;

Aaron Eckhart as Dr. Ember

Carice Van Houten as Lindsey

Catalina Sandino Moreno as Camilla

David Mazouz as Cameron

Keir O’Donnell as Oliver

Matt Nable as Dan

Emily Jackson as Riley

Storyline;

In New York, the boy Cameron lives with his Dutch mother Lindsey that is divorced from his alcoholic father Dan. One night, Cameron overhears a noise in the kitchen and is attacked by a homeless; however he kills the man, breaking his neck. The Vatican representative Camilla summons the scientist Dr. Ember to help the boy that is possessed and the exorcism is not effective. Dr. Ember has the ability to enter in the mind of people possessed by demons and bring them back to reality in a dangerous procedure with the support of his team composed by Oliver and Riley. When Dr. Ember visits Cameron, he realizes that the boy is possessed by the insidious demon Maggie, who killed his wife and son in a car accident. Will Dr. Ember succeed in destroying Maggie and saving Cameron?

Thoughts;

The movie starts out with Aaron Eckhart’s character Dr. Ember in a bar, he walks up to a table and starts talking to a person sitting a booth drinking surrounded by beautiful women. He starts telling the man that things aren’t as they appear and starts reminding him of how his life really is. The man realizes that he is right and things go from there. He helps the man escape and we then find out that Dr. Ember is in a wheel chair and looks rough.

We then go to a mother and her son in an apartment, it appears to be in a bad part of town. During the night the boy is attacked by a homeless person and then kills him. After this happens we go to Dr. Ember’s office where a women who claims to be from the church comes to see him. She offers to pay him for his help with the boy. He at first turns her down but then decides to go anyway.

We find out shortly after this that Dr. Ember’s wife and son were killed in the car accident that paralyzed him and that the accident was caused by a demon. A demon he knows by name and has been looking to destroy for some time.

When Dr. Ember goes to the apartment he discovers that it is fact the demon he’s been looking for. He “does his thing” and comes out of it without the child. The movie goes on from here and in the end, Dr. Ember saves the boy and dies, the demon then jumps into the woman from the church.

All in all I’d say this movie was ok. I certainly haven’t seen anything like it before. The possession part yes, but this was different than the general run-of-the-mill excerosist movies you see. It wasn’t as scary as I’d hoped it would be.

Movie; The Darkness (2016) Caution; Spoiler Alert

The Darkness

Came out; 2016

Time; 1 Hour 32 Minutes

Watched on; Amazon

Rating; PG-13 for thematic elements, some disturbing violence, brief sensuality and language

IMDB Rating; 4.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score;

Tomatoemeter: 4%.

Average Rating: 2.7/10.

Reviews Counted: 28.

Fresh; 1. Rotten: 27.

20% Liked it

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Synopsis; A family returns from a Grand Canyon vacation, haunted by an acient supernatural entity they unknowingly awakened and engages them in a fight for their survival

Staring;

Kevin Bacon as Peter Taylor

Radha Mitchell as Bronny Taylor

David Mazouz as Michael Taylor

Lucy Fry as Stephanie Taylor

Storyline;

Same as the synopsis

Thoughts;

This movie starts out with two families on a trip. They aren’t clear as to where they actually are at first. The kids go exploring and leave a younger boy, who is explained as being different alone on the rocks. He drops something and falls into a hidden cavern. There he finds some rocks. He touches one. Once he returns to his family and go home that’s when the movie really starts.

We now find out that he’s autistic. He seems to have a sensitivity towards people touching his backpack. For some reason he isn’t in school and it’s clear that the older sister is a teenager and goes to a private school of some kind.

Strange things start happing to the family. The neighbors dog won’t stop barking at them and there are strange sounds in the house.

Cut to about mid movie we find out that Michael took the stones and the story behind what he found and what is happening.

There really isn’t a whole lot of action. The movie is actually pretty dull. I was hoping that since it had Kevin Bacon in it it’d be decent, I was wrong. The story line was good, but the movie itself was not.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Book; The Amanda Project (2010) Caution; Spoiler Alert

The Amanda Project

Author; Amanda Valentino and Melissa Kantor

Came out; December 2010

Read on; Paperback

Rating; Per Amazon 3.8/5

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Synopsis;

When enigmatic freshman Amanda Valentino arrived at Endeavor High, she chose three people—Callie, Hal, and Nia—to guide her through the choppy waters of her new school. Except she didn't tell them about each other. When Amanda leaves, the three must reluctantly work together to figure out why. But once they start piecing together the cryptic clues that Amanda herself is leaving for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew about her is false. The more they dig, the mystery of where—and who—Amanda is deepens.

Thoughts;

This was an easy read. I couldn’t put it down but the chapters and the words were very well written. The story line was good.

I am not one to skip to the last page to see the ending. I will read the entire book, unless of course it doesn’t keep my interest. But, I was shocked to discover that there is a 2^nd book, then when I looked it up on Amazon to get the rating, discovered there are 3 more books!

This was given to me as a gift and I had never heard of them until this, but I think I most definitely going to have to pick up the other books!

Movie; The Accountant (2016) Caution; Spoiler Alert

The Accountant

Came out; 2016

Time; 2 Hour 8 Minutes

Watched on; Amazon

Rating; R for strong violence and language throughout

IMDB Rating; 7.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score; Tomatoemeter; 51%. Average Rating 5.6/10. Reviews Counted; 236. Fresh; 121. Rotten; 115. 80% Liked it

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Synopsis; A math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasure Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.

Staring;

Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff

Anna Kendrick as Dana Cummings

J.K. Simmons as Ray King

John Lithgow as Lamar Blackburn

Jean Smart as Rita Blackburn

Allison Wright as Justine

Storyline;

Christian Wolff is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world's most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department's Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King, starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of-the-art robotics company where an accounting clerk has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise.

Thoughts;

This was a husband pick for a movie. I was shocked at how good this movie was. It takes a little bit to get where it’s going, however once you do, it makes it that much better.

Ben Affleck movies are hit or miss really, they have been for a long time. This one was a hit!