Watch With Me: Maxxxine

   

Movie: Maxxxine

Genre: Horror 

Rating: R

Length: 1 Hr 43 Mins

Release Date: July 5th, 2024

Director: Ti West

Stars: Mia Goth, Simon Prast, Charley Rowan McCain

What it's about: 

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

What I thought:

First I have to say that if you haven't heard of this one it's the third in the series, so definitely check out the first two. This is my favorite of the series. I really liked the first one, I didn't at all like the second one, and this one was great. 
Honestly the majority of the movie I had no idea what was happening next or where the movie was going. But in the end we kind of had it figured out.
I love Mia Goth, I think she's gorgeous and an amazing actress.
Just a heads up though these movies are FULL of sex and nudity, especially the first one. 

Overall:

If you liked this movie then watch...

Fun facts:

After Maxine finishes her audition at the beginning of the film and sees all the other actresses waiting in line, there's a sign that reads "X FACTOR" something mentioned in Pearl (2022) and in X (2022) as the special quality sought for in an actress.

While Maxine does her makeup in front of a vanity, on the desk is a ceramic goose with a large amount of cocaine in it. It being a goose is a reference to the goose that Pearl killed in the opening of Pearl (2022).

The filmmakers went "old-school" during production. The movie was made the same way as it would have been in the 1980s, i.e using the same camera equipment as back then, and avoiding "modern trickery" when filming.

Lead actress Mia Goth (Maxine Minx) stated that the story for this film, in her opinion, is the best out of the three.

The dance young Maxine performs for her father in the beginning flashback of the film is the exact choreography Pearl performs for her audition in Pearl (2022).

Book Review: Stranded: Land by Theresa Shaver

Title: Land

Author: Theresa Shaver
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publishing Date: April 13th, 2012
Read: March 28th, 2024
Pages: 204
Audio Length: 6 Hours 59 Minutes
Genre: YA apocalypse
TW: N/A
Series: Stranded #1
Source: Audio

What it's about:

Five go by Land - Five go by Sea

A group of teens on a class trip to Disneyland are left stranded. An EMP over North America has destroyed everything electronic. No cars, no planes, no phones, no electricity. Refusing to wait for someone else to help them, ten courageous young people take charge of their future and choose to begin the long journey home. 1500 miles of adventure and lawless country await. Will their determination be enough?

Alex, Quinn, Josh, Cooper and Dara - setting out on foot with nothing more than some soon to be worthless cash and a little advice from a trusted teacher, they walk through a burning city that has come to a halt. The devastation they see as they make their way out of the city is a small part of the horror that the nation will become. As the days go by with no food deliveries and no water flowing from taps, civilization will start to crumble and it will be survival of the fittest. With five States and half a Province to cross they will need to plan well, count on each other and pray for a little luck. Even with that, chances are slim of getting home when you are Stranded.

What I thought:

This was actually a surprisingly good read, I had a lot of fun and as soon as the EMP hit I was like I know exactly what that is and the fact that the teacher knew what it was and was a prepper made me stupid happy.

This was a really quick read, I read it in 2 hours while I was cleaning and it definitely kept me entertained. I definitely want to read the rest of the series. 

Cover:

I don't like the cover much. Sorry. I don't know what it is about it but I just meh.

Story:

I'm a sucker for anything apocalyptic especially EMPs for some reason, I think because it's something that's entirely possible. I love reading about people trying to survive too, so even though this isn't a super well written book, it was still a good one as far as story goes.

Pace: 

Man this book is go go go literally from the beginning, which is probably why it feels like such a fast read, but honestly I'm here for it. It made me not want to stop reading.

Writing: 

I'm say it is a little juvenile-ly written, I can't think of what I'm trying to say here lol but I guess it seems immaturely written. It wasn't bad, just not spectacular. 

Characters: 

Most of the characters kind of pissed me off because they weren't making the best decisions, I try to remember it's a bunch of teenagers so not only are they immature but they wouldn't know exactly what to do in this kind of situation.

Ending: 

It had a good ending and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. 

Narrator:

She did a good job. 

Overall:

It was a quick read with a good story that kept me on my toes.

A little Snippet:

“All the things in our lives that we took for granted every day are over. If we want music we’ll have to make it. If we want food we’ll have to grow it. It’s like we just got cast in a really bad Pioneer Village reality show.” “Oh shit, do you think we’ll end up sister wives, pumping out babies and farming?” Dara exclaimed.”

― Theresa Shaver, Land

Possible books of likeness:

Author's info:

Theresa Shaver lives in South Central Alberta Canada.
As an avid reader, I used to dream about writing and sharing my own stories with the world. Publishing was a far off and intimidating goal until Amazon opened the gates! I love that I get real feed back from my fans on my books instead of some guy behind a desk who studies market trends. I write to share my dreams with the world and now I can. My first series is a Young Adult Post-apocalypse story. I love writing about the growth of characters faced with such huge challenges and plan to continue future stories in wrecked worlds. It's a new do it yourself world in so many industries so never stop believing in your dreams and do it yourself!
Website: http://www.theresashaver.com

Other books I've read by this author:

I haven't read anything else by this author yet!

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Title: We Were Liars

Author: E. Lockhart

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publishing Date: May 13th, 2014

Read: January 23rd, 2023

Pages: 419

Audio Length: 6 Hours 27 Minutes

Genre: YA contemporary mystery thriller

TW: Self harm and suicidal ideation

Series: We Were Liars #1

Source: Audio

What it's about:

A beautiful and distinguished family.

A private island.

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.

A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.

A revolution. An accident. A secret.

Lies upon lies.

True love.

The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

What I thought:

It took me a long time to get to this book, I kept seeing the hype and thought it looked good, especially since I've read E. Lockhart's books before and really enjoyed them. And this one, while being very different than her other ones, did not disappoint. Once I started this book it had me completely and entirely enthralled.  

Cover:

I love how mysterious this book looks. The colors are beautiful and it has a ghostly look to it. 

Story:

I really had no idea where the book was going at the beginning, and it kept me having to read more to figure out where the author was going, I thought it was just going to be a mental health book, but it turned into so much more than that. 

Pace: 

I feel like just the first few chapters are a bit slow, but really it's just building up for the big bam.  

Writing: 

I think the author did a really good job writing the characters, the emotions, the story of it all. 

Characters: 

I'm not sure about this, I think the point of the book is for the MC to be... Not unlikable per say, but she has a huge wall up and that's for good reason, it really shows us who she is in the end. The other characters are just okay, I didn't like or dislike them. 

 

World building: 

I read this so long ago, I'm trying to remember. I know I could picture the house and the lake so I guess she did pretty decent at it?  

Ending: 

The ending destroyed me. Destroyed. I remember I was reading this in the bath and I just sat there once it ended, stunned. I had to process and rethink everything. 

Narrator:

She did a good job. 

Overall:

This book broke me. It had me feeling so much and I was just in shock. 

A little Snippet:

“We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.”

― E. Lockhart, We Were Liars

Possible books of likeness:

Author's info:

Website

E. Lockhart is the author of Again Again, Genuine Fraud, We Were Liars and Family of Liars, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and several other books. Whistle: A New Gotham CIty Hero is a graphic novel.

website: www.emilylockhart.com

Instagram: elockhartbooks

Twitter: elockhart

Other books I've read by this author: