Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells Edited by Herika R. Raymer

ISBN: 978-1-937035-10-5
Publish date: 2012
Copyright 2011

 

I will be completely honest and admit that I have never indulged in any sort of books or stories
in the Steampunk Category and when I was contacted I was a tad about reading it- I asked will
I understand it? Alexander laughed and explained to me that it's like we never advanced past the Victorian era and everything is ran on steam. It can branch off into any catergory like horror, comedy, drama, suspense, but mainly they are of murder and mystery. So off I was placing
my very hesitant feet into the calm quirky water of the book Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells.



The stories in the book all had the theme of writing the tales with magic vs. machine. I read of dwarves, elves, gnomes, wizards and pixies. Little machines with tiny gadgets and many functions that could do marvelous things. I did not expect to like it much but it was actually pretty cool to read something different for change. You also really can't predict endings in things you are not familiar with so that was a total plus. My point is, you don't always need to snatch a book of a shelf just because of a familiar author- there are so many talented writers out there just waiting to be discovered!



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Edge of Salvation

Release date: 2014
Directed by: Luciano Saber
90 Minutes

Luciano Saber's Edge of Salvation is a fast paced film with a powerful storyline that touches
base on a quite a few touchy subjects in which people struggle with everyday in todays society. A documentary crew follows the Malone's, a family that recently took in a young boy Christopher and then lost all their cash figuring it would make for good TV time.


Being hard up for money renders this rich family with nothing left to lose, to allowing the world to see every ounce of their pain. This certain turn of events forces them to move into the ghetto where Chris actually grew up. 17 year old Chloe, who is the epitome of being a ungrateful spoiled little bitch gets a reality check almost as soon as they pull into the driveway.


For Chris it's coming home to his friends and things just automatically fall back into place like he never left. The camera's are placed everywhere and every second of their lives are recorded. It shows that no matter how bad you think you have it, there is almost always someone else that has it worse. Can the Malone's handle this big change? Or will they flounder under pressure and become just another statistic? 

       



 

No Clowning Around

Release date: 12-28-12
Directed by: Rob Dimension
25 Minutes
Horror short

Think your life is bad at the current moment? Meet Mumbles the alcoholic clown who likes to pass
out pissy drunk in some strangers tub. He jumps out the window hits his clown car and starts for home. He's alter ego Mr. Peepers pops up from the back seat and starts to tear his ass apart with insults and the truth hurts speech- meaning he's a complete loser. Trixie his heroin addict girlfriend
excitedly rushes out to see if he's made any crisp cash today. Even though there was none she
was still all bubbly and promises things will get better.

The drug gets the best of her and poof she's gone. Now separated from his true love, Mumbles completely loses is it! He decides that revenge is in order, well Mr. Peepers actually plants the sordid seed. Lenny the drug dealer has no idea that the normally docile Mumbles is coming for him. All I'll say is that my favorite part of it all was the balloon animal, I am sure this makes me morbid but it was a clever little thing. No Clowning Around shows what people do when they are handed to much for their plate, How it dramatically breaks and there's nothing left. 

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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2600162/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1

Play Date

Release Date: 4/25/2014
Directed by: Andrew C. Erin
82 Minutes
Drama

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Dr. Emily Valentine has just packed up her desk and is ready to head on home to start spending time with her family- which I am sure many people in life wish they could do themselves. A family of three, Tamara and her two sons move into the house next store and Emily is thrilled for her daughter Olive to finally have someone to play with.

Billy and Olive become close very quickly but something seems a little off with him.He just seems
to be a little aggressive and rough sometimes towards Olive. Could he just behaving like a little boy?
Nope! You can see it's done specifically to hurt her. First it was just a shove, then a hard slap until
he almost lets her drop down the steps as he dangles her dangerously close to the edge.

Emily has her motherly instinct radar going off in a panic while her hubby just thinks it's harmless
since boys tend to be some what rougher then girls. Things aren't always what they seem in life as they all will fall witness too as sudden suspicious incidents occur. It all points to either Tamara or her
oldest son Titus.

Play Date was a pretty intense watch that has you guessing for awhile what exactly is going on and that's a plus in today's film World. Nothing dramatic but it will make you think and try to rationalize
which one is doing these psychotic things and why. So many people think that children when young don't realize what's going on around them but they do, and they learn to mimic it.

Death Follows

Release Date: December 7, 2013
Directed by: Carmela Hayslett
25 Minutes

I have been dipping my toes into viewing short films as of lately and I am glad- I never really
wanted to give them a chance just thinking why bother. But in the past few days I have watched a
few exceptional shorts and Death Follows is creeping up right behind them. I am honestly surprised
at how much of a message a short can send in such a small amount of time. In Carmela Hayslett's Death follows Angelina a totally lost soul who just seems to have death follow her where ever she goes.

Now I'm not talking about some grim reaper trying to catch up and claim his marks on her either
No, it's a little different here since Angelina seems to black out or forget the events as they occur leaving her to wonder is she nuts? Does she have anything to do with the dead bodies that are dropping everywhere?  Could she possibly be strong enough to kill? Mean and sinister enough? Her doctor seems not overtly concerned and maybe he really should be, I mean that's a hell of a thing to forget!  

The Tell Tale Heart (Part 1 in trilogy of Tales of Poe)

Release Date: 2014
Directed by: Bart Mastronardi
30 Minutes

 

 

The talented Bart Mastronardi has taken a well known story from Mr. Edgar Allan Poe himself
and made it into a modern film adaption. From what I gathered is that there are three volumes in his Tales of Poe and I just delightfully just sampled the first one The Tell Tale Heart. Two of my favorite independent film actors Debbie Rochon and Alan Rowe Kelly star as the main characters so that was a definite plus. Miss Rochon is the narrator and befallen nurse of the film telling us of her wicked ways that landed her in the loony bin at the eccentric Bernice Estates. Told in true Edgar Allan Poe form, the dialogue is told in well spoken and pronounced verses that are from the actual story itself.

I found Tales of Poe intensely creative and Debbi Rochon did an amazing job especially at the end
she was actually frightening! You can definitely pick up the artistic angle in the filming while certain
little sounds and props enhance the viewing pleasure. You feel like you could be a fly on the wall of the room witnessing her complete descent into madness. I love how her portrayal of being fixated on the milky white blind eye of her formerly famous yet hideous patient Peggy Lamarr. I look forward to the next tale with eager curiosity for I am still a huge Poe fan and find the way he used his intriguing words completely and utterly fascinating! Cheers Bart!     

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tales-of-Poe/198251596914233

 

 

 

 

 

Klagger (short film)

Directed by: Casey Crow

It's rare in this line of work to really come across something special that just stands out and makes
you take notice. The independent film Klagger is that film! Perry shows up at an abandoned industrial
salvage warehouse where he must go in and get all the info from the vehicles for work. He unlocks the chains and slowly ventures inside fighting the dust. He starts to go about his business and decides to snoop in an old office and learns of a violent death that took place there years prior. Suddenly that
soulfully sad song can be heard playing but it's echo bounces off the walls confusing him of where the source of the sound is coming from. He soon finds he is not alone and the terrifying games begin.

The film is currently being made into a feature length version, and my ass will be first in line to view
it. Sometimes people just have a certain knack for getting their vision across loud and clear- Casey
Crow's got some serious skills! Everything meshed in together well from the hauntingly beautiful
tune "Tomorrow I'll Know" from Pat Murphy to the dusty desolate road that leads us to all the fun! I would honestly recommend this to everyone and anyone- I really was impressed with it all- from the plot to the flawless execution of the whole project. Don't miss this opportunity to see what I am speaking of- promise no disappointment to be had.


     

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Hysterical Psycho

Release Date: 2014
Directed by: Dan Fogler
78 Minutes

Do you remember those comedy classics such as Balls of Fury or Europa Report from the director Dan Fogler? Well he has mixed up some horror with comedy in his new feature film Hysterical Psycho. A trip to a cabin deep in the woods somewhere in Maine has a group of friends totally psyched for some much needed corrupt hard partying fun. Think they can handle it? 

The first thing they find once inside is a dead lady with a suicide note waiting for them. RV troubles render them stuck there at the creepy cabin trying to amuse themselves. Sara decides to get a shower, after dressing she has the blood squeezed out of her with it  landing everywhere in the bathroom. Everyone is in a state of panic and every damn time the one chick opened her mouth she puked!

The deal here is a hysterical psycho is on the prowl- he's hysterical because he is always pulling of this wheezy giggle as he hunts and maims. I almost wanted to reach in and give the guy a freakin Asthma inhaler so he would stop already. Gilbert Godfried even makes an annoying appearance in the beginning  .

I was not big on this one, I felt it tried to hard to be funny but it did have some great gore near the end. The acting was on point and all the females had a nice set of lungs on them- they could let out the perfect blood curdling scream. It's not a bad watch it just wasn't my thing- I suppose there are plenty of individuals out there that will suck this up.  

Happy in the Valley

Release Date: 2014
Directed by: Lee Madsen
91 Minutes
Dark Comedy

Stewart Fox is a pretty much washed up Rock n Roll photographer who seems to think he is extraordinary master of film when in reality he's losing the spark. His fed up wife Donna hires art major Wade Ward to take behind the scenes photographs of Stewart in action with his erotic models for his up and coming autobiography. Poor Wade had no clue that he'd be rubbing Vaseline on Porn Stars coochies to make them shine or cleaning the toilets.

Queenie is one broke ass bitch so she decides to go to Stewart and take it all off for some much needed cash- problem here is that she is not one to normally behave this way. Her morals battle intensely with her at each shoot but what else can she do? It's fast and pays well. Once her clothes comes off the true madness begins. From perverted Socko drooling with a hard on at everything on set trying to cop a feel in any way shape or for.

Stewart has lost all of his artistic abilities amid all the booze and drugs he is ingesting to self medicate his miserableness. Wade seems to bring along some much needed normalcy to this circus of freaks along with his good looks and creativity to boot. Sparks fly between Queenie and Mr. Ward and a relationship tries to bud but she is damaged goods.The work scene becomes tense with tempers flaring and arguments ensue leaving everything basically in jeopardy.

I loved this quirky comedy and Forsythe had me laughing out loud while the always beautiful Tiffany Shepis shines bright as a jaded porn actress who just wants love. It was cool to see her in something other than horror and yes she has the skills to project onto bigger things. I would whole heartedly recommend that you watch this one if you can handle crude humor- Happy in the Valley rocks!

Rolling

Release Date: 2014
Directed by: Billy Samoa Saleebey


FACT: 1 in 10 have tried ecstasy

MDMA was synthesized all the way back in 1912 and was used to suppress one's appetite then faded away until the U.S. Army busted it back out in the 50's. They had plans on using it as a type of truth serum. By the 70's shrinks were prescribing it to patients then the 80's popped up and it ran rampant all over the U.S.- from bars, clubs to Street corners. The Film Rolling tracks along eight ecstasy users and their various experiences.

Some argue that the users of E are just hippies at heart yearning for that lovey dovey feeling while others claim it's a life changing experience - are you up for it? Inspired by actual events Rolling is told in a cross between being a documentary where specific questions are being answered yet has a plot going on within it involving around all eight of them. The characters are likable, laughable and some flat out whacked! 

Some people like myself aren't even interested in the experience but sometimes fate deals you a very shitty hand. One night out I had some scumbag slip it in my drink- was I happy about it? Fuck no- I lost all control of my body vomited for 13 hours and wished I was dead while begging to go to ER. Christ imagine that, girl drowns in her own toilet! In this film though, a girl accidentally ingests it and has a fab time- not always the case.   

Wanna know more about E?  Like how you would act and what you would feel? Just sit back watch in silence and learn the ropes baby. If not, it's still is a fun flick with friends enjoying each other and with corny antics. The group is diverse and includes students, a teacher, lawyers you name it. Don't discriminate- he who wants, shall have no matter how many people they have to call in one night to get it- Roll on... 





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