Stupid Fast – Review

On By The Past Due ReviewIn Book review, Writing6 Comments

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

Published in 2011

Pages: 311

Genre: Young adult

“This could be a dark tale!”

Not necessarily what one would expect to be the first line in a book about puberty and running, this is an apt beginning to an increasingly complex story. Stupid Fast, by Geoff Herbach, follows a dorky kid living in Bluffton, Wisconsin who one day wakes to find copious amounts of body hair and a natural ability to run faster than anyone else around. This newfound penchant for speed opens up new worlds for Felton as he tries to outrun his familial problems, discover who he is, and court the pretty piano player who lives in his best friend’s house for the summer. Continue reading “Stupid Fast – Review” →

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Music Monday: Radical Face – The Family Tree: The Leaves

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Album: The Family Tree: The Leaves by Radical Face

Album Cover
The Family Tree: The Leaves

Released: March 25th, 2016

Band Info:

Radical Face is the stage name of musician Ben Cooper who released his first official studio album in 2007. His music is noted for the use of acoustic guitar, soft and layered vocals, and storytelling within the lyrics. He has released four studio albums, all of which carry concepts within their songs and the last three are part of a single story called The Family Tree. An independent artist, Radical Face primarily tours outside of the United States due to the popularity of his music in the rest of the world; however, he does play some isolated shows and went on a more extensive North American tour in 2013. His most recent work has been on a film score, another full-length record, and a series of EPs.

Band Photo

Continue reading “Music Monday: Radical Face – The Family Tree: The Leaves” →

Jaws (1975) – Review

On By The Past Due ReviewIn Film, Film Review, Writing12 Comments

Jaws (1975)Poster

Directed by Stephen Spielberg

Written by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb; based on the novel by Peter Benchley

Cast: Roy Scheider, Murray Hamilton, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw

Length: 2 hours and 4 minutes

Genre: Adventure, drama, thriller

MPAA Rating: PG

Description from IMDB:

“A local sheriff, a marine biologist and an old seafarer team up to hunt down a great white shark wreaking havoc in a beach resort.” Continue reading “Jaws (1975) – Review” →

The Drowned World – Review

On By The Past Due ReviewIn Book review, Writing8 Comments

The Drowned World by J. G. Ballard

Published in 1962

Pages: 175

Genre: Science fiction

“Soon it would be too hot.”

This is a fitting first sentence for a book about the aftermath of intense sun flares. The Drowned World, written in 1962 by J. G. Ballard, answers the question of what life would be like if the jungles and wildlife were allowed to regain their control of the world in the wake of cataclysmic climate change. Following the life of a scientist studying the levels of water and jungle growth, the story looks into the psychological effect such a transformation would take on humans, in addition to the ways in which they would survive. Continue reading “The Drowned World – Review” →

The Sandlot (1993) – Review

On By The Past Due ReviewIn Film, Film Review, Writing5 Comments

The Sandlot (1993) Poster

Directed by David Mickey Evans

Written by David Mickey Evans and Robert Gunter

Cast: Tom Guiry, Karen Allen, Denis Leary, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi, Marty York, Brandon Quintin, Grant Gelt, Victor DiMattia and Shane Obedzinski

Length: 1 hour and 41 minutes

Genre: Comedy, drama, family

MPAA Rating: PG

Description from IMDB:

“In the summer of 1962, a new kid in town is taken under the wing of a young baseball prodigy and his rowdy team, resulting in many adventures.” Continue reading “The Sandlot (1993) – Review” →

The View from the Cheap Seats – Review

On By The Past Due ReviewIn Book review, Writing19 Comments

The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman

Published in 2016

Pages: 522

Genre: Nonfiction, short essays

“I fled, or at least, backed awkwardly away from journalism because I wanted the freedom to make things up.”

Neil Gaiman is a writer who has worked in many types of media; literature, comics, film, and visual arts just to name a few. In his collection of selected nonfiction, The View from the Cheap Seats, he has compiled a mass of personal writing that covers everything from his favorite musicians to how comics and libraries affected him as a writer and human being. For those who have been blessed to visit his Sandman comics, his novels, and seen films based on his writing, this book is a revealing glimpse into the mind of the man who made them all. Continue reading “The View from the Cheap Seats – Review” →