A Wolf at the Table

Augusten Burroughs is absolutely without a doubt one of my most favorite authors. His books are so full of emotion and dept, incredible energy, spot on imagery, and a pinch of humor in all the right places. A Wolf at the Table is all of those things and much much more.

In Running with Scissors we only get a small glimpse into Augusten's early childhood. Well this time around we get a much clearer view, and more specifically a look into the relationship he carries on with his father into his adult life. An innocent child craving the attentions of a distance and plausibly sociopathic father.

Every page is highly emotional, and the end of each chapter leaves you longing to start the next. Whether you're chuckling at the precious precociousness of a young Augusten's imagination, or seething with anger towards both of this innocent boys parents you will love the intensity of the story. An easy read at 242 pages makes this book a must have/rent/borrow from a friend AND you get a special sneak peek at Burroughs' next book: You Better Not Cry, a collection of Christmas stories. Wicked.

Other books by this author include:

Running with Scissors
Dry
Magical Thinking
Sell-e-vision
Possible Side Effects

Gore Fest

For the horror fanatic in all of us.

Not just anyone can appreciate a really good gore film. It takes a person with strong resolve to sit through scenes brutal enough to put an elderly man or a mother of four into an early grave. This precious gem is currently showing on Fearnet On Demand, which is where I saw it.

Now, I'm a sucker for a good horror thriller, and while this film is true to its form, it is a bit cheesy in that old school horror movie turned modern way. Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura and produced by author Clive Barker, from whom wrote the short story that it was based on, it takes on a much more artistic quality. Practically every scene is angled and coordinated perfectly, the backdrops of each setting are very specific to how you should feel during that moment, whether it be in vivid color or desaturated coldness, and the use of shadows and darkness were so beautifully done that you often got a very comic book come to life feeling from it.


The gore scenes were by far the best I've seen in quite some time, both beautifully artistic and horrific to watch at the same time, and the characters though sometimes a touch unconvincing were soundly constructed. Overall the plot of the movie was its only downfall, at times seeming monotonously predictable and at others, so confusing that you though you were watching Jacob's Ladder all over again.

I think that for the most part it is an amazing movie for the horror flick lovers at heart and anyone with a brain can enjoy at least at some level the amount of work that was put into making this wonderful yet disturbing film. Obviously I enjoyed it, if a bit late, and I fully encourage anyone who has seen it to leave reviews of your own. I would like to hear about what you thought as well.