Movies: What's hot what's not!

     I saw three movies this week and thought I would share my feelings about whether or not they are worth checking out. Here they are in no particular order.

THE GREY- Directed by Joe Carnahan - Starring Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo

Screenplay by Joe Carnahan and Ian MacKenzie Jeffers

    The Grey with Liam Neeson is about a hunter along with a group of oil roughnecks who find themselves fighting for their lives after their commercial flight crashes into the Alaskan tundra.
     The film introduces us to a skilled hunter named Ottaway (played by Neeson)  who culls wolves in and around the oil patch, but the sharp shooter is an individual in deep mourning at the loss of his wife and in fact somewhat suicidal.
     When the plane crashes it seems things can't get any worse until a pack of wolves begin stalking the survivors as if they were a herd instead of man. Without his rifle Ottaway attempts to prepare the men for the impending danger, but this does not come without at least some resistance by one member named Diaz. As the group undergoes a bit of alpha-male infighting the wolves attack and the men realize that their only strength is in numbers. It is at this point they decide to that they will not survive the elements or the wolves if they do not try and hike out of the barrens.
     Overall, 'The Grey' is a stunning film to watch and Neeson carries his character forward under the direction of Joe Carnahan quite effectively. The backdrop of Alaskan landscape does well to illustrate the cold and elements the men face as they are systematically killed by the relentless wolf pack. There are few flaws in the script, most notably was the decision to leave the crashed aircraft to get to safety. The fact that it was a source of refuge from the wolves and the elements is dwarfed only by the fact that all commercial aircraft have transponders which would surely have led to rescue.
     That aside, I would recommend this film to anyone looking for a good bout of pulse pounding entertainment. Liam Neeson, along with actors Frank Grillo, Dallas Roberts and Dermot Mulroney carry this tale of survival to an ending that is both unexpected and very refreshing.

RATING (Definitely worth seeing)
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THE DARKEST HOUR  Directed by Chris Gorak and produced by Timur Bekmambetoy.

Starring Emile Hirsch, Max Minghella

     Two young tech savvy businessmen go to Moscow to sell their social networking program to investors only to find they've been screwed over by the middle man they thought was helping get a footprint in the Russian Capital.
     What do young men who've been screwed over for billions do when this happens? Well, they go 'Clubbing' of course and drown their sorrows in vodka and woman, but that gets interupted by an alien invasion that sucks all the electricity out of the power grid and vaporizes humans when touched by the invisible entities. Luckily, the main characters manage to take refuge in a basement while Moscow and the rest of the world falls victim to the invasion.
     Don't get me wrong, I like a good invasion flick as much as the next guy or gal, but this movie had some real time-line issues that left me (the guy who smoked up in science) wondering if the writers had a smick about anything.
     First off, the world gets wiped out in a day, or is it a week, a month? I don't really know, but what we do know is that during that rather murky time-line while our characters were hiding out in the basement some people, in particularly a fat Russian plummer has already developed a microwave gun that disables the aliens force field.
     It was from this point that I began to think: "Oh man, guess I gotta watch it until the end."
     And I did and it sucked.

RATING (Not worth seeing)
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THE CABIN IN THE WOODS 
Directed by Drew Goddard
Starring Fran Kranz, Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison

     Five friends set out for a cabin in the woods that is no doubt going to be a haven for serial killers, zombie families, or whatever horror might horror might suit your fancy.
     If you go to see Cabin in the Woods thinking that you are going to be watching another 70's style slasher film, then guess again. This movie is filled with gore, laughs, and right from the get go you are in on the fact that the five teens destiny is already preordained by scientists working behind the scenes to deliver the particular path they take.
     It plays like a slasher film, whilst the command center below the cabin controls who lives and who dies, but the bigger story is that the film basically says that every slasher movie, creature feature and monster film is real and that the command center is delivering these teenagers to slaughter to serve a higher purpose. I won't ruin that for you, but will say that Fran Kranz, who plays 'Marty' the classic stoner actually steals the spotlight with his  laid back humor and witty responses that are tempered by whatever brand of weed it is that he is smoking in his travel-mug/bong.
     I loved this film, it was a funny interesting and when it was all over I actually heard the audience clapping when the credits rolled. If you're a horror fan who has a sense of humor you will like this movie.

RATING (Definitely worth seeing)  
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Well it's Christmas, and in the spirit of giving I have decided to do something radical. Call me crazy, but I am going to give away 100 free E-Versions of my book.

So, what's the catch right? No catch whatsoever. The first 100 people to email me using the form on this page will get a Kindle, Epub or PDF version of THE EQUINOX.

Why am I doing this? I am doing this because I am an Independent Writer and I want people to enjoy my work. Without the backing of a major publicity firm I have decided to take matters into my own hands. The way I see it -- the more people who read my book -- the more word of mouth it gets and thus, the more advertising it gets..

So, fill out the form, be one of the first 100 and you'll get a free E-copy of the book in a format of your choosing. [One copy only per applicant]


Oh and I almost forgot, in the spirit of giving, I am going to add one more thing to stuff in your stocking. If you are one of the 100 who enter your name for a free E-Copy of THE EQUINOX, your name will also be entered into a draw for a signed 6 X 9 trade paperback.

No catch, no spam, just my gift to you this Holiday Season.

Better get at it because the moment we hit the 100 mark the giveaway ends.

Happy Holidays.

MJ Preston

Here's the link:
E-Book Giveaway

The skin-walker of Spirit Woods

Note: As the creature evolves, I will update this blog along with new pictures so check back.

Entry # 1

    Halloween is coming. Okay it's still a little under two months away, but I have started getting ready. Every year I set up something new so that when the kids come down the street they know that there really is a monster living in my house who likes to keep all the candy for himself.

    This year I have decided to add the skin-walker to my crowd of spiders, serial killers, and demon babies. Now the the novel is out there I figured that I would try and create the creature that runs amok killing and eating the lower intestinal track of it's victims whilst letting out it's signature shreik.

    So far the head has come together nicely, although I may have to make a couple adjustments to the teeth and add a bit more rot. I expect that the creature will be approximately 7' tall, a little shorter than the creature in the novel, but hell I gotta store this thing after tear down.

    Building the head has been a bit tricky, rolling on layer after layer of latex and trying to get  the look and texture right, but it seems to be coming together okay and once I actually airbrush it I'll be able to get the texture of its rotted flesh just right.

    In my next entry I will put a few shots of the torso and the progress I make with that.

Entry #2

    I have now  added several layers of latex to the creatures face and started developing the torso. This is a slow process, as I have to wait for each layer of latex to dry before putting on another.

    This is actually quite a daunting task, because it is very time consuming.  While waiting for the torso to dry I started developing the talon-like claws and after forming the arms from chicken wire, plaster, later, cotton baton and burlap I attached the the claws which you will see in the next string of photos.

The Promotion Machine

In September I will be embarking on a virtual blog tour to promote my book. This is a first for me and I have spent the week doing interviews and prepping to get out there to let peole know about The Equinox and what it has to offer.

In addition to this there are now four official editions of Equinox.


              Lulu  Hardcover Edition                      Lulu  Softcover Edition  

 

              Softcover UK Edition                      Sofcover Createspace Edition

 I want to try and offer readers choice in what they purchase and although the novel itself is the same, the covers reflect different aspects of the story and showcase a bit of my artwork

If you like a particular cover drop me a message here and tell me what you think.

M

THE THING RETURNS

In 1982, I along with three other friends set out for Vancouver British Columbia to see a movie that looked like no other. Of course I would later find out that this film was in fact a remake of a schlocky sci-fi film called THE THING FROM OUTER SPACE starring James Arness as a giant carrot from outer space. Well he was n't really a giant carrot, that would have been something to see, but an alien who had come back to life after being frozen in the Antarctic ice.

The original THING was based on a short story/novella by John W Campbell jr called: Who goes there? The premise of the story is much like the Agatha Christie's TEN LITTLE INDIANS in which you don't know who to trust and people getting knocked off. In the case of WHO GOES THERE? Someone among the scientists is not who they appear to be and subsequently the group faced with isolation begin to turn on each other. While the original THING FROM OUTER SPACE completely abandon the spirit of Cam[pbell's story, director John Carpenter embraced it completely.

On that day in 1982 I saw the trailer and convinced a group of friends, mostly stoners, to drive 55 miles to Vancouver so we could watch this new Sci-Fi horror which was getting rave reviews for it's story and special effects. The movie was also featuring a former child star named Kurt Russel who was sporting long hair and a beard, looking nothing like his Disney characters THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES.

We spilled out of the car an hour or two before the movie, I believe we smoked some pot and as we made our way through the streets of Vancouver I was being warned by my pals. "We just drove an hour, this movie better be worth it Mark."

I just smiled and nodded. I had seen John Carpenter's "Halloween" and knew that the special effects artist for The Thing was none other than Rob Botin who had pioneered special effects on films like THE HOWLING. I knew this was going to be good.

We entered the Cineplex and took our seats, after getting our fill of munchies and waited for the movie to start. During this time a few rows ahead there was a fist fight and an ejection, but when the curtains rolled back all was calm. In Carpenter's version THE THING actually opens with two Norwegian men in a helicopter chasing a Husky across the frozen tundra of Antarctica. It is more than apparent that they are trying to kill it as they drop grenades and fire on it. The Husky makes its way into another camp known as US Outpost 31 where the Norwegian are in tow. As it happens one of the men is killed when he drops a grenade while the other is shot by Captain Garry played by Donald Moffat. At this point everyone is in on it. We know that Husky has something to do with the Alien creature, but nothing prepares us for what happens next.

The Husky is taken into the kennels with the other dogs and I, along with my stoned friends, watched in awe as the dog undergoes a gory and impressive metamorphosis in which its head literally explodes and it's body sprouts spider legs and tentacles that absorb and duplicate other dogs in the kennel. I literally looked around at my pals who were glued to that screen. This was like nothing any of us had seen before.

So starts the paranoia. A monster that duplicates people and duplicates them perfectly. As they stand in the snow, one of their own already struck down by the nefarious monster, Kurt Russell's character RJ McCready declares: I know I'm human. And if you were all these things, then you'd just attack me right now, so some of you are still human. This thing doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it's won.

And so begins the distrust that is the nucleus of John W Campbells: WHO GOES THERE?

When we walked out of that theater, the buzz wearing off, one of those stoner pals said to me. "I am never going to forget that Husky."

I was vindicated, but John Carpenter did not receive the well deserved accolades for what was, in my opinion, his best film. THE THING was knocked out of the top spot by Steven Spielberg's blockbuster ET and though it would go on to be a cult classic, Carpenter would pay a price for its performance in the theater. He was originally scheduled to direct Stephen Kings Firestarter, but was dumped. Firestarter, directed by Mark L. Lester, employed powerful actors like Martin Sheen and George C Scott, but was like most King adaptions at that time a dismal failure.

John Carpenter's THE THING on the other hand has gone on to becme a cult classic which has stood the test of time.

Enter the Norwegians.

Now, almost thirty years after Carpenter gave us an ensemble cast and a riveting storyline the science fiction/horror community waits with some apprehension as a new chapter is introduced with the prequel to John Carpenter's brilliant adaption of John W Campbells story. Will it stand up to the scrutiny? Will it be true to its roots? Little is known, but fans of Carpenter's version wait and no doubt pray that this new film will be a new variation on a cult classic.

Who is Daniel Blackbird?

A few people asked me why I decided to write a horror novel with a protagonist who is an aboriginal and I think it goes back to my childhood. Daniel Blackbird was born of two personalities. The first being my best childhood friend, named Mike and the other being Billy Jack. Both were strong characters and both were faced with obstacles not usually thrust upon a normal mans shoulders.

My Pal Mike, like Blackbird, was a half breed and when he came to our school at 11 years-old it seemed that every wanted to challenge him to a fight. One morning I saw him walking in the hallway with a bicycle chain lock hanging around his neck and asked, "Hey kid, what's with the chain."

"Protection," he answered. I would later find out that Mike was getting jumped by two and three boys during recess and lunch hour. To my knowledge he never lost a fight and as time wore on we became inseparable as friends. Eventually, those who targeted him learned the hard way that he was one tough half-breed.

Billy Jack certainly hasn't stood the test of time, but it's creator (Tom Laughlin) melded a great story with a character who I thought was pretty cool. Billy Jack, half breed Vietnam Vet, fearless, dangerous and compassionate. The first film I saw Billy Jack in was Born Losers and I'd have to say that it left quite an impression on me.


Daniel Blackbird is also a strong character and though he does not wear his emotions on his sleeve he does carry the burdens of his mistakes in his heart. He is unrelenting, somewhat like Van Helsing, but it is not a vampire he hunts but a bastard offspring of the Windigo, that has the ability to change shape. Blackbird is a loner, who has lost everything. He has been banished, seen his family murdered and this drives him as he to has nothing left to lose. 


Or so he thinks..

The reviews are in.

People who have read my book have now started reviewing it and I have to say I am pretty happy with what has come back so far.

Reader reviews are what drive people to purchase the book and getting read is what every writer craves most of all. Sure, they wouldn't mind the fame, the fortune and the money, but it all comes backj to being read.


If you have read: THE EQUINOX, please be sure to go back to my page and write a review. Not only does it benefit me but it educates readers about the novel itself.

The Reviews

The Equinox is a highly descriptive journey into a less-travelled corner of horror story-telling. Preston melds First Nations folklore with old-school Victorian vampire hunting. The heavily developed characters embark on a truly goretastic hunt for evil. Scary, disturbing and well worth the read.

--Keith Parker

***

A first rate novel from a first time author. MJ Preston delivers originality in this pulse pounding-gore-fest-horror novel.
-- Peter Deitza The Word

***

MJ Preston weaves aboriginal lore with modern day police work; seat-of-your-pants suspense and horror. He pulls out all the stops when it comes to mayhem – mayhem in the streets, mayhem in the air and mayhem in the cornfields around the prairie town. If you want a good read on a ‘dark and stormy night’ this is the one.
-- Author R James Steel

***

The Equinox is a fast paced read and MJ Preston pulls no punches as he delivers blow after blow in a horrific thrill ride that does not let you go until the last page.
--Colin Stark