Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) - Movie Review

A coming of age story involving young love and a mysterious music, coming from a crystal radio left as a memento by an absent father, that leads a young heroine deep into a hidden world. (IMDB)

Rating: TV-14

Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes

Genre(s): Animation, Adventure, Drama

Released: May 7, 2011

Directed by: Makoto Shinkai

Written by: Makoto Shinkai

Starring: Hisako Kanemoto, Hisako Kanemoto, Kazuhiko Inoue, Junko Takeuchi

This was the second time I have watched this movie. I originally watched the subbed version but decided to watch the dubbed version as a refresher. As with most anime, the dub is not very good. The voices do not match the characters very well and the emotions feel forced (especially with Asuna). Both the animation and story are very close to being Studio Ghibli quality and a good portion of this film feels like it could easily be a tribute to the legendary animation studio. 

It does have a few plot issues and several things are left unanswered. I also found the lack of character growth to be a little frustrating. The score, while absolutely beautiful, sounds the same as all of the other scores in Makoto Shinkai's films (lots of melancholy yet hopeful piano and strings). As a cat lady, I am always very judgemental when there is a feline (or feline-like) character. It is probably a strange pet peeve to have, but I want the cats to actually be believable. Thankfully though, it seems like pretty much every Japanese animator has a very good understanding of how they move and how their personalities can be.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

Diary of Anna the Girl Witch #2 : Foundling Witch by Vic Connor - Book Review

What do you do when you discover you’re a witch... And that using your new powers destroys your soul a little each time?  Set in the Swiss countryside, this story blends ancient folklore with a coming-of-age tale about a young witch on the brink of womanhood. (Goodreads)

*I received an eARC of this book to review from Hidden Gems.*

I went into reading this book mostly unaware of what it was about. I knew it was a middle-grade fantasy and expected a cute story about a girl who finds out she is a witch. I was very wrong about the cute part and was quite surprised at how dark it was. While the story is told from the perspective of a girl who has just turned 13, it does not come off as completely childish at all and found it to be a very enjoyable read even though I am an adult. The story has great lessons in both showing kindness to others and the battle of good and evil that we all fight within ourselves.

The only problem I had with this book was the constant references to Anne Frank and Malala Yousafzai. At first, I thought it was sweet that Anna Sophia looked up to them, but as the name-dropping continued and after a bizarre reference to The Hunger Games, it began to feel less genuine and more like product placement in a tv show.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5

Book & Author Information: Goodreads

Published:  December 7th, 2014

Vic Connor: Goodreads, Amazon

The Keepers (2017) - Mini-Series Review

A seven-part docuseries about the unsolved murder of a nun and the horrific secrets and pain that linger nearly five decades after her death. (IMDB)

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 7 hours 16 minutes

Genre(s): Documentary, Crime, Mystery

Released: May 19, 2017

Directed by: Ryan White

On the night of November 7th, 1969, a nun went missing. Her body would be found two months later, but the questions surrounding her horrific demise would remain unanswered, almost 50 years later. Two of her former students, who were obviously impacted greatly by their teacher, reunite with the hope that they could do what the police had not (or perhaps just refused) and solve the who, what, and why of her mysterious death.

However, the box of dark unknowns that they began digging through provided much more than they were expecting. Over seven hour+ long episodes, a web of lies, corruption, pedophilia, and pain is exposed, leading to more questions than answers.

The ongoing pain and suffering of the incredibly long list of victims is just absolutely heartbreaking. The idea that monsters could get away with such disgusting behaviors so easily, is sickening and proof of how dark our world can really be.

After finishing this docuseries in one sitting, I was left feeling incredibly frustrated and angry. There is a strong sense of desperation to have the truth finally exposed before everyone involved is no longer alive and the case is forgotten forever.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

Dunkin' Donuts' New Frozen Dunkin' Coffee - Review

With the desire to come out on top in their coffee chain war against Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts has released a new and improved frozen coffee drink this summer.  The beverage is the replacement for the restaurant's "Coffee Coolatta," which had been around since the 90's; and let me just say, after trying the new frozen treat, I will not miss the Coolatta at all.

The new drink is made with a much higher concentration of coffee than any of their other drinks, resulting in a more genuine coffee flavor. This is a more satisfying product compared with the Coolatta, which had an artificial, syrupy taste and left something to be desired.

While I really enjoy this drink, I have to take off a point from my rating due to Dunkin Donuts' unfortunate consistency issue. While I've heard that Starbucks has got their measurements down to a science, Dunkin Donuts products tend to taste significantly different from one day to another depending on who is making them.
 

According to the Dunkin' website, a medium frozen coffee without any added flavors comes in at a whopping 630 calories, but lower calorie options are available (small with whole milk instead of cream is 380 cal). However, Don't even consider getting the skim milk version, because, without the fat from the milk, the drink just doesn't hold together at all. (see above) The whole milk version, however, seems to keep its texture quite well and results in an even stronger coffee flavor.

Overall, this drink is for the coffee customer who wants something sweet, simple, and delicious for summer without breaking the bank.  This is the coffee drink I have been waiting for.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5