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“Annabelle” Movie Review

October 6, 2014 by LaTaeya

Annabelle poster

Annabelle directed by John R. Leonetti and starring Annabelle Wallis and Ward Horton tells the story about a young couple that experiences paranormal activity in their home. It all starts when Mia’s husband John brings home a vintage doll as a gift for his expectant wife. Soon after the couple’s home is broken into by a husband and wife that belong to a cult. Mia and John barely make it out alive. The cops intervene, killing both intruders. The female named Annabelle was found in the nursery holding the life sized doll in her arms.

The activity begins after Mia returns from the hospital on bed rest as instructed by her doctor. Strange things begin to happen. The doll starts to move on its own. At first the movement is very subtle but progresses throughout the film. The couple attempts to move out of the first house where the occult couple was killed, but the activity intensifies as time goes on. John attempts to throw away the doll but it mysteriously turns up in a box when the couple begin’s to unpack and settle into the new home. Mia decides to keep the doll and soon things get worse. Mia does some research about the young woman Annabelle and the occult she belonged to. She learns that the doll is possessed by a dark entity that Annabelle conjured and that it wants her daughter’s soul. Mia fights to protect her child and seeks the help of the church. Her local parish priest tries to help but is almost killed in the process. Mia’s friend Evelyn played by Alfre Woodard spends time with the family and experiences the activity first hand. She eventually sacrifices herself to save the baby.

The film had its scary moments and at times demonstrated the classic clichés of horror. Child’s play and Rosemary’s baby references were scattered around the film. The acting was just average and there were paths that I thought the movie was moving in but then moved in a completely different direction.
Overall the vision for the film could have been a lot better but I think that it’s a subtle flick for those horror fans that just want a taste of Halloween horror.
I gave this movie 2.5 stars.
Happy Horror
L.L.

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Dark Betrayal is published

October 3, 2014 by LaTaeya

Hello All!
The second book in my Chronicles of the Celestial series “Dark Betrayal” is now published and available in paperback at Amazon.com. The story picks up right where “Swept into the Darkness” left off.
Sydney London has discovered that she is half angel and that she inherited her special abilities from her mother Pandora. After Sydney attempts to use her healing powers to heal her mother, something goes terribly wrong and her mother escapes from a high security mental facility in town.
Sydney,her boyfriend Angelo, along with their magical friends an angel Lothos, and a vampire Tristan race against time to find Pandora and Pandora’s box before the forces of evil find it and unleash the fury within.

Order your copy today to see how the saga continues.
Happy Reading
L.L.

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Fall Inspiration

September 26, 2014 by LaTaeya

As the fall season kicks off, and I’ve gotten back into the swing of being back at work, my creativity and inspiration has been flowing. Even though the summer is a time of relaxation. I feel that the fall season has a casual aura. It’s a time when mood plays an important role in how my creativity is expressed. I love the chilly, windy, rainy evenings, as I’m curled up on the sofa covered with a blanket, a notebook and a steaming cup of Red Zinger tea. My writing process has been pretty slow, but I can say that it has been productive. I’m working on finalizing the second book in my series Dark Betrayal before it is released on paperback. The release of the Kindle version is expected out early October. I’ve been simultaneously working on typing the third book Dark Revenge. That book is in the very early stages, so it is not expected to be released until early summer 2015. Plans for my fall book tour will be announced as soon as they develop.
Happy reading!
L.L.

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General Hospital Spotlight

September 25, 2014 by LaTaeya

The changing of the seasons got the best of me, so I know that it has been a while since I’ve written a General Hospital Spotlight.

The intensity has grown when it comes to many of the storylines and there has never been a dull moment. I think that Ava’s baby is really on borrowed time, and no matter what precautions Sonny takes to protect him or her, in the end it will not matter. Jorden saves her once again and once again Ava is out of the woods. Once Port Charles realizes that Jason Morgan is alive,and that there were many forces that contributed to his condition, things will get worse before they get better for him. The producers are still on edge as far as revealiving the new Jason so I think that there will still be a long time before his character gets some real face time. They are trying too hard to avoid it, and it looks obvious to the fans that the production still doesn’t have a clear vision with Jason. I feel the same way about Robin. I feel that her character is broken. A quote she said on yesterdays episode. The Cassidine’s are pointless and I am so tired of seeing Helena come back from the dead. If she is shot in head like a Zombie then there is no coming back. LOL.
I’m so excited about Carly and Franco’s engagement and even more excited about his true plans for this Halloween. Wedding, which in my opinion will not happen. My prediction is: he is going to tell her at the alter that he knew about her infidelity, and confess to everyone that Sonny shot AJ then leave her there alone.
Lets see how the rest of the week plays out.
L.L.

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Dark Betrayal: Chronicles of the Celestial book two

September 12, 2014 by LaTaeya

The second book in my Chronicles of the Celestial series will be released mid September. I’m going through my final read before publication. The book will be available in paperback on Amazon.

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Do What You Are Meant To Do

August 27, 2014 by LaTaeya

Do what you believe you are meant to do.

So many people struggle with finding their way through life, doing things that make them unhappy. We all do it at some point in our lives and there is a time when we must step out of that zone and go to the place within ourselves and be who we really are meant to be in this life. No matter what you do to create a life that works for you, never give up on your real dream. Do what you are meant to do, do what makes you happy. Life is not always about the struggles but it’s about the journey you take and the lessons you learn along the way, how you make those lessons work for your life now. It doesn’t matter how long the journey takes, but what it is that you do once your journey is complete.

L.L.

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Motherhood

August 7, 2014 by LaTaeya

lucian rocking horse pic

Motherhood

Now that my son has officially passed the baby stage, he is settling into toddlerhood right on schedule.

It’s amazing how babies grow so fast within the first few years and it’s also amazing how fast they learn and pick up on everything.
My son knows the alphabet by route, and can name the letters out-of-order and an object associated with that letter. He also can count past 10 and is learning to count in Spanish. He knows the basic body parts in English and Spanish and new words are being introduced into his vocabulary every day.
Socially he is very outgoing and friendly, and I believe that he will have a very productive experience when he enters preschool.

Toddlers at the age of two are extremely funny and they have a personality that is infectious.
The interesting thing about toddlers is their curiosity about the world around them. They are into anything and everything.
When I was pregnant, I researched practically every topic I could about pregnancy, delivery, and raising children. I read everything I possibility could about the subject and I must say that no matter how prepared you think you are, it still won’t be enough because you won’t know what to expect until you actually live it, and experience it.

Being a parent is one of the most important, and exciting things that a woman could ever do in her life, but it is also one of the scariest.
Childproofing is a big thing in my home, and no matter how many times we think we have child proofed his room, I can never sit back and relax.

There is never a dull moment in my home. And when I finally think that I have everything covered, my son creates another innovative way to get what he wants.
Climbing over obstacles is the new thing with him. He loves to climb over the gate. I unexpectedly caught him playing in the living room and when I asked him what was he doing he simply said, “I funny,” and smiled.

I caught him standing on top of his toy box the other day, and told him to get down. He told me, “you.” then got down and ran back to play with his toys.
He has moved his crib, and the dresser! I couldn’t believe it. I tried to tie down the furniture and he still managed to move it. My husband and I have rearranged our son’s room at least 5 times in less than a year.
If I could give any new parent any advice about toddlers, I’d say that you must have a sense of humor in order to survive. LOL

L.L.

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Lucy “Movie Review”

August 6, 2014 by LaTaeya

Lucy poster

Lucy directed by Luc Besson and starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman tells an interesting story about a young woman living in Japan that gets swept up into an international drug trade.

The film opens with a so-called friend Richard, trying to convince Lucy to take a mysterious briefcase to someone that she doesn’t even know. Very reluctant to do this favor, Lucy denies his request and she is forced to put herself in a situation that will eventually change her life forever.
Lucy enters the dark world of the unknown as she encounters a group of Japanese Mob men that basically plays Russian Roulette with here life.

She is attacked and forced to smuggle drugs back into the US with an implanted bag of a synthetic pregnancy hormone.
Lucy tries to rebel against her captors and is attacked once again. The bag explodes inside her, and the drug is released into her bloodstream as it opens up a whole new world of abilities that her brain unlocks.

Lucy escapes the prison that she is being held in and soon reeks havoc upon everyone that was responsible for her pain and suffering.
Lucy’s brain functioning is evolving by the minute. She seeks the help of Professor Norman, a Brain Scholar (played by Morgan Freeman, as she tries to cope with her new found intelligence.
One by One she picks off the Japanese Mob crew. Her crusade to put an end to their plan starts a war between her and the Boss. He will stop at nothing to see her die and does everything in his power to make that happen.

In the end Lucy meets allies on her journey for revenge and leaves the legacy of her intelligence behind for the professor.

I thought the overall concept for this film was awesome and I could see the future makings of a great superhero film.
I really enjoyed the special effects, but felt as though there were some unnecessary scene flashes such as the animals running in the beginning,it seemed out of place. The movie was too short, but I felt that the imagery was Sci Fi driven and the action scenes were engaging.
I gave this movie 3 stars.
L.L.

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes “Movie Review”

July 15, 2014 by LaTaeya

Dawn of the planet of the apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Andy Serkis was an outstanding film that has all the elements that make a blockbuster.

The movie takes place ten years after the Apes emerged to claim their freedom. The world is plagued with a virus that has wiped out most of the human race. Led by Ceaser and portrayed by Andy Serkis, the apes build a world where they thrive as they band together to protect their home. A group of human survivors led by Malcolm and played by Jason Clark encounter the apes in their search to bring electricity back to the city, so they can begin to restore the life they had before the virus.

Caesar struggles with trust issues with the humans as Malcolm tries to convince him to come into their territory so they can restore power. Ceaser agrees but on the condition that the group of humans enter without weapons. Some of the people in the group battle with their own issues with the apes, in fear that they will be attacked. They betray the trust that is established and Caesar questions their true intentions.

Koba—one of Caesar’s lieutenants, who was rescued from the Genesis research facility in the first film holds an unforgiving grudge against the humans and will stop at nothing to break the peace among the two species.

Ceaser sets an example by teaching non violence, community and morels to his fellow apes, but despite his efforts to spare the lives of humans and the apes—a fight between the two is inevitable.
Initiated by Koba, a war breaks out as the two groups fight for freedom. Ceaser almost meets his death as Koba betrays him in the worse way. After his home is destroyed in the forest and he is left for dead, Caesar is saved by Malcom. They seek a safe haven away from all the destruction as Caesar returns to his old home with Malcom and his family to recuperate from a gunshot wound. While on the mend, Caesar makes a connection with Malcolm and reconigizes his genuine nature as demonstrated with his past relationship with Wil Rodman, played by James Franco in the first film.

Meanwhile Koba kills his kind as he makes an attempt to intimidate the other apes to follow him. The apes invade the community of humans and capture them. Koba’s intention is to inflict the same pain on the humans that he endured within the facility.

The final battle between Koba and Caesar is an intense one, filled with lots of action and high energy sequences. The power and emotion behind these scenes are adrenaline driven and will leave you on the edge of your seat the entire time. In the end, power was restored within the city, Caesar killed Koba, re-claimed leadership among the apes and was reunited with his family.

The 20th Century Fox film is an experience that movie goers must see to believe. The visual presentation, special effects ,score and the emotions behind the CG characters bring the story to life in way that demonstrates a creative craft that is absolutely impeccable. Even the language of the apes was impressive, the sign language blending with English and the dialect of the apes fit the tone of the film and was delivered in a manner that made you appreciate what this film represents.

Andy Serkis’ portrayal of Caesar was astounding. If the Academy does not nominate Serkis for an Oscar then they really need to re-evaluate their whole nomination process. This movie grossed big at the box office and the marketing plan was strong in their efforts to draw in movie goers, so why are most films nominated that people have never even heard of, seen and or released in a limited capacity? I’m looking forward to Andy being acknowledged in the Oscar Realm. He deserves it.

Dawn of the Planet of Apes has become an instant modern classic and was masterpiece in every way shape and form that a film can be.
A must see on your summer movie list. I gave this movie 5 Stars!!
L.L.

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Transformers: Age of Extinction “Movie Review”

June 30, 2014 by LaTaeya

Transformers Age poster

Transformers:The Age of Extinction directed by Michael Bay and starring Mark Wahlberg was an action packed film filled with heartstoping adventure. The movie takes place 5 years after Optimus Prime and the Autobots saved the human race from Megatron and the Decepticons.

Prime and the surviving Autobots are now in hiding from the government and have a large price on their heads. A struggling mechanic, Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) purchases a run down truck that just so happeneds to be the transformer Optimus Prime. As the the Autobots come out of the shadows, they rise up to face a new threat— the humans, and newly manufactured transformers. Feeling betrayed by the humans, the transformers put aside their trust issues to team up with Cade and his family. Cade and his daughter Tessa are now wanted for harboring a transformer fugitive— Prime. They band together with Optimus and the other Autobots to once again save the human race from being destroyed. This time they must locate and take an object called “the seed” and remove it from the possession of the humans. The humans working on the project unknowingly realize that the seed has the power to destroy the entire world. An inside man working for the government- Harold Attinger played by Kelsey Grammer betrays his people by being in league with one of Optimus’ worse enemies.

The battle is on as good faces evil. The Autobots strive to defend and protect the planet. Optimus recruits the Dinobots as they lay dormant, deep in the mountains of China. They fight with bravery and honor as they struggle to battle a power that has been engineered.

The age of extinction was a great movie. Every other scene was an action sequence, and the special effects were eye-catching and emotion driven. Mark Wahlberg, Kelsey Grammer and John Goodman portrayed memorable characters. The storyline was a bit predictable, but overall you really don’t miss the characters from the past three films. It stood out on its own and everyone contributed a little something new to the already established franchise. The score was the only thing that I had a problem with. It wasn’t nearly as good and engaging as the past three movies, but the cars that were featured were more luxurious. Nicole Peltz— Tessa aka Bates Motel’s Bradly, was a breath of fresh air which added a modern flair to the film. Spielberg executive produced and Micheal Bay’s vision once again reflected the overall tone of the film.

Put this movie on your summer to see list. I gave it 5 stars.
L.L.

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