The Transporter: Refueled Review

In the south of France, former special-ops mercenary Frank Martin enters into a game of chess with a femme-fatale and her three sidekicks who are looking for revenge against a sinister Russian kingpin.

Can the Transporter film franchise survive without Jason Statham? Yes it can, only if it in capable hands. The Transporter Refueled is a hit or miss depending on your taste. If you're a person who loves action over story then this is a good film. If you're a person who values story over action then you might be disappointed. The Transporter Refueled is not a bad film. I actually had some fun with it. The film is just a basic action film with the usual cliche of you have your family member hostage. While I did enjoy the dynamic of Frank showing more heart than previous films. The movie became predictable by time the second act hits. Frank is forced into a situation he has to get of. He finds a way and onto the next set piece. The movie did more humanity to the cold heart transporter which fans will love. 

The acting is okay. Ray Stevenson as Frank's Martin father steals every single scene he's in. He is a great comedy relief to the film and a good moral compass for his transporter son. The female leads were enjoyable to watch and to see these anti heroes was refreshing. Ed Skrein replaces Statham and he did a good job. I enjoyed his performance but it's one of those roles that you can't see anyone else in but the original actor. Overall the film gives you exactly you expect from the franchise and that's not a bad thing. The villain could have been better and the story less cliche but it's pretty decent.

Lenni Reviews: A Demon Inside by Rick R. Reed

                                                                   (Image Source)

In this novel by Reed, Hunter Beaumont finds himself alone in the world after the death of his grandmother. After his parent's mysterious deaths when he was only five years old, his grandmother kept him sheltered and with his only family gone, Hunter is the last of the Beaumont line. They were a well off family so a huge estate aptly named the Beaumont house is part of this inheritance, yet on her deathbed, his grandmother begs him to destroy it. Curious, naive, and frightened of being alone in the world, Hunter doesn't heed his grandmother's warning and makes this infamous estate his home. And the house is not happy about it.

As a character, Hunter can be a little whiny but as a sheltered person, I had to give him a little leeway. After all, he did lose his parents in a gruesome murder he blocked out as a kid. But it leaves him vulnerable to plain old horrible people before he even gets to being haunted. But when he finally makes the decision to move, things get really creepy really quickly. You get the feel of a standard horror movie where you're yelling at the book for the guy to get the message and get the hell out of poltergeist house; which is where some readers will get frustrated with Hunter. He swings from wide eyed innocent to obstinate brat to such a degree, it's to his detriment; putting him in danger. Reed did a great job showing how Hunter's poor experiences with people led to less than logical determination to battle a ghost who is trying to kill him where he may have once ran away. The book ends before we get to really see if Hunter finds a balance between being too innocent and too brave.

Again, like Clashing Tempest, the male/male romance is secondary to the horror story. The horror isn't bad but experienced horror fans may find it formulaic; more tense than outright scary. But I had fun reading it and I enjoy discovering LGBT books with real plots instead of bubblegum nonsense. Sugar has it's place, but Reed gives us more meat with our meal. I enjoyed it.

Fugoo Bluetooth Speaker Review

Hey O&G fans, we met some great companies at this years CE NYC 2015. One of these great companies are the makers of the FUGOO portable Bluetooth Speaker. There are many portable outdoor speakers out now, many are very bulky to improve durability and battery life. FUGOO has made a speaker that can withstand the elements and portable.

The FUGOO Bluetooth speaker has become my favorite piece of tech, thanks to its combination of sound quality, battery life and price. The speakers are water proof, has different accessories, and a choice of 3 different cover styles to fit your activities.

Design

At 7.75 x 2.9 x 2.3 inches, the Fugoo Tough is considerably smaller than many other outdoor speakers. They also make a XL Style version for those who want a bigger speaker, Measuring 11.3  x 3.8 x 4.5 inches, the Style XL is considerably bigger than the portable version I have.

Weatherproofing

An IPX67 rating indicates that the speaker is dustproof, and you can submerge it for up to 30 minutes in 3 feet of water. As a test me and member of the site put the speaker in a bowl of water and it did not miss a beat. The speaker even continued to play under water (Sound was a bit muffled, but it still played). This is great for anyone who love the beach or being poolside.

Sound Performance

The most important factor when choosing a speaker is the quality of sound. The FUGOO speaker delivers excellent sound, sound I couldn't believe could come from a speaker of it's size. You can see the 6 speakers through the grilles on the device, 2 speakers on the front and back, and one on each of the sides.  When listening to music, you do not need to worry about which way the speaker is facing. It plays great sound quality in every direction.

Speaker Covers

The speaker I have came with 2 covers, the sport and style covers. both covers look great and are worth the price. 

Sport Cover

Style Cover

It also has a Tough case for outdoors and people who are into extreme sports.

Tough cover

The FUGOO Bluetooth speaker is the best portable speaker on the market right now for it's size and price. It ranks up there with the Bose Soundlink Mini, Beats Pill, and JBL Pulse. I would recommend this speaker to anyone looking for something affordable and durable with great sound.

See it in action here with Justin trying it and out.

Lenni Reviews: Clashing Tempest by Brandon Witt

                                                                         (Image Source)

This book by Brandon Witt may be superficially marketed as 'gay fiction,' it is more like a sprawling fantasy where some of the characters just happen to be gay. This is also the third in a series called Men of Myth.

If you are coming to this book looking for some man-love fluff piece, you will be disappointed. Prepare to get invested in the fantasy of this world. There are merpeople, werewolves, vampires, and witches; which all have a unique take on the mythos of each species. Since I haven't read the first two, I cannot tell you how the story arcs connect from them but I can tell you that the arcs built up in this book are lovingly and fantastically done and carried to the end with enjoyable creativity. Witt's writing will immerse you in this world to the point where you will feel damp swimming with mers or in deep trouble with the vampires. 

The characters can get a tad whiny sometimes and on a personal note I found myself skipping the smutty scenes to get back to the main conflict of the story (yes, be aware there's hot stuff in this book). But that's just me. I found the fantasy riveting enough. However, if you do want an interesting LGBT fantasy that doesn't drive the plot with smut, Witt does a great job. Totally worth 450 pages.

Cant get enough of Lenni's writing? Check out her site At The Quills Mercy.

Lenni Reviews: Darkhaven by A. F. E. Smith

                                                                          (Image Source)

In this dark fantasy by A.F.E. Smith, we meet brother and sister Ayla and Myrren, heirs to the Nightshade family throne. But they are not a regular royal family; but a family of shifters. Accused of attacking someone, the novel opens with Ayla fleeing the city, but things quickly become much more sinister when their father is murdered and Ayla stands accused as the last shifter remaining in her kingdom. She must prove her innocence and come to terms with the fact she may not be the only remaining shifter in the city.

Darkhaven is a book that hooks you in from the first page. You are plunged right into this world in the thick of the plot and keeps you tense and curious right up to the last page. And as this is a dark fantasy, there is a general somber feeling even when talking to a regular citizen of the city. I enjoyed experiencing this adventure with these characters; as they are interesting, conflicted, intelligently written, and grow with the story.

The end is wrapped up a little too easily in a rather messy bow; but with all the intrigue you are left wondering what the fate will be for the kingdom and the Nightshade line now. The way the shifter's abilities are handled is creative and quite beautiful and the limits imposed on this power are reasonable. If you like your fantasy with a bit of mystery, you will like this book.

Lenni writes more than reviews! Check out her site here.

Lenni Reviews: Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy by Nichole Stevenson and Grace Ellis

                                                                          (Image Source)

In this graphic novel by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis and illustrated by Brooke Allen; April, Jo, Mal, Molly and Ripley are attending camp ‘Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types (and that will be the last time I type that…) and have all promised each other they will have the most awesome summer ever. Luckily for these Lumberjanes scouts, there are talking three-eyed foxes, yetis, tombs to explore, and magical weapons to make sure they never have a chance to get bored.

Simply put, this comic is awesome. It’s Rat Queens for kids (if you haven’t read Rat Queens, GO DO IT). Each girl has a specific talent to add to the group, completely different races and body types (major kudos for that), and smart puzzles where each girl takes turns solving. The art is perfect for these wacky (yet thrilling) adventures. You can get all the fun of super-deformed expressions without it overtly being anime (I know some people who don’t like that style). It is also a story that demands to be told in full color and I’m grateful for it. Maarta Laiho did a fantastic job with the coloring.

To sum up, this comic is sweet, funny, empowering, and just darn fun! I freely admit to reading it several times before I begrudgingly handed it over to my kid (who is 8 and this book is recommended for 5 and up). We are both ready for volume 2!

Justice League: Gods and Monsters Review

Hey O&G fans, Justice League: Gods and Monsters is the latest DC animated film. This marks the return of Bruce Timm to the series of films he helped to begin back in 2007. Written by Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett– both veterans of the DC animated TV universe– and directed by Sam Liu, this movie has the great story and action you expect from DC animated films.

As always here is a synopsis of the film:

In an alternate universe, the Justice League uses brutal force to maintain order on Earth. When scientists begin dying, the world's governments challenge the League's dominance.

REVIEW

The Movie was AWESOME!! The film opens (stop me if you've heard this story) on Kypton with a familiar scene we all know, in Jor-El’s lab with Lara as the planet nears its end. But wait True Comic Fans, this story has a dark twist. General Zod come busting in as Jor El is about to imprint his DNA into his son's pod. Zod shoots Jor El and uses his DNA for the pod and Lar Zod is sent to earth as the last son of Kypton instead. The baby is discovered by a Mexican couple, both poor workers, who decide to raise baby Zod as their own, and name him Hernan Guerra. (DC comics readers might recognize baby Zod as the same one from the Geoff Johns story Last Son, where he was raised by Clark Kent and Lois Lane as Chris Kent.)

Batman and Wonder Women have similar flash backs to how their lives began. Batman afflicted by a disease desperately searching for a cure, turns himself into a vampire. Wonder Women was the promised bride to Darkseids son to bring the waring kingdoms together. After her father planned an assassination and succeeded, she turned on her family and fled to earth.

The voice acting is one of the best I've heard from a DC Movie. Michael C. Hall giving Batman an eerie, undead monotone, Benjamin Bratt capturing the boldness of Superman with a hard Zod edge. Tamara Taylor was absolutely great as Wonder Women, switching from powerful to vulnerable to outraged on a dime. The animation is solid reminds me of Batman and Superman TAS. Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett have successfully delivered a fresh and exciting take on the Justice League by turning them into dark mirrors of the heroic icons we know so well. If you want to know the full and deeper story about all three Justice League members, you can check out the 3 issue series released by DC Comics.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters  will be released on DVD and Blu Ray on July 28th 2015.