Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon

During my childhood I would watch one or two older movies on AMC (before they had commercials) every weekend, which a few of my favorites were the Blondie & Dagwood films, Tarzan serials, and the Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis comedies. Besides from the Blondie films, the others are hardly ever aired on cable anymore, but luckily for me most of them are available to own on DVD.

Early this year, Mill Creek Entertainment released the Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Collection (Not Rated; 29 hours 18 minutes; $29.98), which contains three separate releases -  Comedy Triple Feature with Jerry Lewis, Comedy Double Feature with Dean Martin, and Televisions Greatest Comedy Tea with Marty & Lewis.

Comedy Triple Feature with Jerry Lewis features the following films:

• Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River (1967; G) - Jerry Lewis stars as George Lester, an American con artist who married a rich British woman. After turning his wife's home into casino, she threatens to leave him, so he comes up with a scheme to win her back.
• Hook, Line & Sinker (1969; G) Jerry Lewis stars as Peter Ingersoll, a former insurance salesman who believes he doesn't have much time to live. He maxes out his credit cards and takes a fishing trip.
• Three on a Couch (1966; Not Rated) Jerry Lewis stars as Christopher Pride, a businessman who is soon to be moving to Paris for a year. He wants his fiance Dr. Elizabeth Acord (played by Janet Leigh) to go with him, but she is dedicated to three of her patients, who are all single women with relationship troubles. He takes it upon himself to get each of her patients to fall in love with him, so they will no longer need Elizabeth as their shrink.

Comedy Double Feature with Dean Martin features the following movies:

• Who Was That Lady? (1959; Not Rated) - The film involves Dean Martin helping his best friend David (played by Tony Curtis) come up with an outrageous excuse to explain to his wife (played by Janet Leigh) why he was kissing a younger woman in his office.

• How To Save A Marriage And Ruin Your Life (1967; Not Rated) - Dean Martin plays David Sloane, who is best friends with Harry Hunter (played by Eli Wallach). Harry has been having affair for quite some time, but wants to put end to the relationship to help save his marriage. This is where David decides to do him a favor by giving Harry's mistress a better offer. However, due to a misunderstanding David ends up wooing the wrong the woman.

Television Greatest Comedy Team Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis contains over 20 hours of their performances from the Colgate Comedy Hour, a variety show that aired from 1950 to 1955. Guest stars include Frank Sinatra, Jack Benny, Dorothy Dandridge, Burt Lancaster, and Rosemary Clooney.

Final Thoughts

Mill Creek Entertainment; AMAZON

Now available on Blu-ray from Mill Creek Entertainment is The 6 Degrees Collection ($19.96), featuring six movies all starring Kevin Bacon.

The movies on the 2-disc set are:

The Big Picture (1989; PG-13; 101 minutes) - Directed by Christopher Guest, Kevin Bacon stars Nick Chapman, a Midwest film student who wins a student film contest in LA. After winning, Hollywood execs are all wanting to produce his new "big" movie idea. While everything is a fun at first, Nick quickly sees the darker side of Hollywood as his life begins to unravel.

Flatliners (1990; R; 114 minutes) - Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film centers five medical students (played by Keven Bacon, Julia Roberts, William Baldwin, Keifer Sutherland, and Oliver Platt) who are studying near-death experiences. Each one becomes a test subject, which they are flatlined for a short time before being brought back from death. Shortly after being rived, they begin to have frightening visions that threatens their lives.

Hollow Man (2000; R; 112 minutes) - Directed by Paul Verhoeven and inspired by H. G. Wells' novel The Invisible Man, the film centers on a team of scientist working on an invisibility serum in an underground laboratory. When the government threatens to cut their funding, Scientist Sebastian Caine (played by Kevin Bacon) becomes the first human test subject. After having his team turn him invisible, he seems to be perfectly fine. However, the longer he stays invisible, the crazier he becomes. Eventually, he turns into a serial killer; taking out his team one by one. The movie also stars Elisabeth Shue, Josh Brolin, Kim Dickens, Joey Slotnick, and William Devane.

Trapped (2002; R; 106 minutes) - Directed by Luis Mandoki, based on the book 24 Hours by  Greg Iles, the film centers on Joe Hickey (played by Kevin Bacon and his cousin Marvin (played by Pruitt Taylor Vince) kidnapping Abby (played by a young Dakota Fanning), a daughter of Dr. Will and Karen Jennings (played by Stuart Townsend and Charlize Theron). While Marvin takes Abby to a isolated cabin to hold her hostage, Joe torments Karen. As for Will, he was away on business when the kidnapping occurred. Joe sends his wife Cheryl (played by Courtney Love) to give Will their demands and to make sure he doesn't contact the authorities.

In The Cut (2003; R; 119 minutes) - Directed by Jane Campion, based on the book of the same name by Susanna Moore, the film centers on Frannie Avery (played by Meg Ryan), a high school teacher and writer who finds herself entangled in a murder mystery plot after witness a sexual act in a bar bathroom. Kevin Bacon has a very small uncredited role in the film.

What The Truth Lies (2005; R; 107 minutes) - Directed by Atom Egoyan, based on the book of the same name by Rupert Holmes, the film centers on around the murder of a college student in 1957, but her body isn't discovered until 1972. A journalist Karen O'Connor begins investigating the murder, which leads her to the comedy duo Lanny Morris and Vince Collins (played by Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth).

Final Thoughts

Grab a book, any book.
Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it).
Post it.
 Add your (url) post below in the Linky at: www.fredasvoice.com
Add the post url, not your blog url.

"We're never too busy for you, Jessie," Leah said. "You'll come and have coffee one day this week, ain't so?

page 56, The Wedding Quilt Bride by Marta Perry

  My Thoughts

Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon

Mary Higgins Clark is one of most beloved modern mystery writers. Soon to be 91-years-old next month, "The Queen of Suspense" has sold over 100 million copies of her novels in the U.S. alone.

Many of her books have been turned into movies over the years.

Earlier this year, Mill Creek Entertainment released the six-disc DVD set Mary Higgins Clark: 14 Film Collection ($29.98), featuring four theatrical film adaptations and ten made-for-television movies.

The titles on the DVD set include:

AMAZON

Does anyone actually remember seeing any advertisements for 2014's The Maze Runner?

I for one don't recall seeing one advertisement for the film or for the two sequels (The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure). I wasn't aware of the franchise, which is based on the Young Adult book series by James Dashner, until recently. Yeah, I know, I must be living under a rock or something.

The Maze Runner Trilogy is now available on a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital + Limited Edition Bandana Gift Set from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

The Maze Runner is set in a futurist dystopian world where a teenager named Thomas (played by Dylan O'Brien) wakes up inside an underground elevator that takes him to the grassy area known as the  "Glade," which is surrounded by stone walls. There are man other teenage males there, who have formed a society. Once a month, the elevator will come up with food, supplies, and a new boy. The only way to escape the Glade is through a mysterious maze that is guarded by creatures.

The Scorch Trials pick up directly after the end of The Maze Runner, where Thomas and the other Glade survivors find themselves on the run from the WCKD, a government organization that wants to experiment on them. To survive, they must travel through the city ruins and locate the Right Arm, a small resistance army.

The Death Cure concludes the trilogy with Thomas, Newt (played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster), and Frypan (played by Dexter Darden) searching for a way to get through the walls of the Last City, so they can rescue their friend Minho (played by Ki Hong Lee), who is being experimented on by WCKD.

Special Features on the set include:

The Maze Runner

• Audio Commentary by Director Wes Ball and Co-Screenwriter T.S. Nowlin
• Deleted Scenes Optional Commentary by Wes Ball
• Navigating the Maze: The Making of The Maze Runner Documentary
• The Chuck Diaries 
• Gag Reel
• Visual Effects Reel
• Ruin Short Film
• Still Galleries and Storyboards

The Scorch Trials

• Audio Commentary by Director Wes Ball, Screenwriter T.S. Nowlin, Producer Joe Hartwick Jr. and Film Editor Don Zimmerman
• Janson's Report-CLASSIFIED Debriefing Videos
• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Optional Commentary
• Secrets of the Scorch 6-Part Documentary
• Gag Reel
• Visual Effects Reel
• Concept Art and Storyboard

The Death Cure

• Deleted and Extended Scenes
• Unlocking the Cure
• The Final Run
• Dystopia: The Completed World
• Allies Reunited
• A Look Back: The Director's Journey

• Going Out on Top
• Visual Effects Breakdowns
• Visual Effects Reel
• Gag Reel
• Audio Commentary by Wes Ball, T.S. Nowlin and Joe Hartwick Jr.
• Gallery

Final Thoughts

Welcome midnighters and horror lovers to my Midnight Horror Review.

AMAZON

On a rare occasion I will receive a product, book, or even a movie out of the blue; something that I had never requested to review. Back in the spring of 2017, I had received three horror DVDs from Sector 5 Films, which one of those titles happened to #FromJennifer. Out of the three, this horror comedy is the only one that I had actually watched at the time, but I never got around to writing the review for it. The envelope which contained these DVDs got lost, well, until I stumbled upon while cleaning last week.

Produced, written, and directed by Frank Merle, #FromJennifer (80 minutes) stars Danielle Taddei, Tony Todd, Derek Mears, Aaron Abrams, and Meghan Deanna Smith.

The film centers around Jennifer Peterson (played by Danielle Taddei), a struggling actress who was recently fired from a horror film. Her manager (played by Tony Todd) suggests she should start a video blog to gain some fans and maybe even get the attention of a few producers and directors.

Shortly after uploading her first vlog to the world, her manager dumps her because of a rumored sex tape, which was released by her ex-boyfriend. Feeling humiliated and betrayed, Jennifer sets out to make a "'Revenge Porn Revenge" video, which she gets a bit of help from her new assistant, Butch (played by Derek Mears), a clueless idiot who is very loyal to her cause.

Final Thoughts

I guess technically #FromJennifer is third the installment in Section 5 Films' Jennifer series, which started with To Jennifer in 2013 and followed by 2 Jennifer in 2016. #From Jennifer is standalone film and is only connected to the other films by name, which is a good thing as those films sucked!

Despite it's low budget, questionable acting, and silly plot, #FromJennifer is somewhat entertaining at times. While there isn't much horror in the film, there's plenty of blood to go around. Derek Mears as the doofus sidekick is the best part of the movie. Horror legend Tony Todd is in it for only a few minutes as Jennifer's manager.

Overall, #FromJennifer is a surprisingly likeable horror comedy. If you don't expect too much from the film, you might actually enjoy watching it.

AMAZON

Since I started this blog nearly ten years ago, I get a lot of random books sent to me. When I say random, I'm talking about books I had never requesedt to review, which includes the satire How To Be A Perfect Christian by The Babylon Bee (Multnomah; $19.99).

Here's the blurb from the back cover:

Do you dream of becoming the poster kid for Christian perfection? Then get ready to be baptized in the glorious waters of modern Christian Culture!

How to Be a Perfect Christian is a step-by-step guide to grow you up from a clueless Christ-follower into a supercharged megabeliever. Discover how to:

*Join The Right Church - See how to ditch that group of hopeless losers holding you back and find a church that's built around you.

 *Vet Your Pastor - Assess his command of sermon acronyms and alliteration - plus his grasp of dynamic gestures.

*Worship Like A Pro - Find out how to have a worship experience that leaves you with that all-important, addicting emotional high.

*Do Life Together - Master the art of never letting anyone get close enough to your life to see what a mess it is below the surface.

Wait! There's Much More - like acting the church potluck and serving the church without lifting a finger. This book is filled with everything you need to be your best spiritual self, even a free inspirational coloring page!

Final Thoughts

Coming up with an unique gift for the holidays for a family member or friend can be a bit of challenge. This is one of the reasons why I started an annual Holiday Gift Guide on this blog, so I can help other people pick out the perfect gift for their loved ones.

I am recommending "journals" as a Christmas gifts. Journals can be either cheap or expensive, all depending on what type you are buying.

Today, I am highlighting three beautiful Ellie Claire Art Journals from Worthy Publishing Group - Illuminate Your Story Journal ($18.99; Amazon, B&N), The Illustrated Word: An Illuminated Bible Coloring Journal ($15.99; Amazon, B&N), and Faith & Lettering Journal ($15.99, Amazon, B&N).


Illuminate Your Story Journal is a lot more than just your average journal. It's a step-by-step guide to teach you how to draw illuminated letters, like the ones that once adorned the pages of books and Bibles. The first few pages gives you an introduction and a brief history lesson about the world of illuminating. Then you are given instructions on how to use the journal. In six steps, you'll learn how to illuminate each letter in the alphabet. Plus, you'll learn how to draw a flourish shape with leaves. There is a two-page journal entry after each letter, where you can put your new illumining skills to use.


The Illustrated Word: An Illuminated Bible Coloring Journal is a coloring book journal. There are forty illustrations to color in the 160 page journal that are recreations of the ones found in ancient manuscripts. It also features fully-colored illustrations from the archives of the Museum of the Bible.



Faith & Lettering Journal features a step-by-step guide to teach you the basis of hand-lettering. The
journal has a short introduction by the author Krystal Whitten. There are several exercises through throughout the journal that will help you learn to hand-letter beautiful letters, saying, and phrases. There are also Pro Tips which will show how to draw banners, leaves, flowers, arrows, bibles, etc.. Lastly, there are many lined pages where you can put your hand-lettering skills to the test.

Final Thoughts

The Ellie Claire Art Journals are high-quality journals with sturdy hardcovers. My favorite out the three is Illuminate Your Story Journal, only because of the "History of Illuminated Letters" section at the very beginning of the journal. I've always been fascinated about illuminated letters and now I can learn how to create these marvelous letters.

Faith & Lettering Journal and The Illustrated Word: An Illuminated Bible Coloring Journal are both gorgeous journals in their own rights. Faith & Lettering Journal has easy to follow tracing and drawing instructions for making letters and phrases. The Illustrated Word features very detailed illustrations to color. The actual journal pages are beautiful.

Overall, if you're looking a great gift this holiday season, I recommend getting the Ellie Claire Art Journals.

What Am I Currently Reading?

I'm still on page 78 of American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell by Deborah Soloman.

What am I reading next?