Category: Movies

The Littlest, Sweetest Girl Wins

trE

A Book Review

Matilda by Roald Dahl. Photo Credit by Tremaine L. Loadholt

I will be honest . . . I didn’t think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. Matilda by Roald Dahl, was everything I needed at the time I read it (a week ago), and I am forever changed by this tall tale.

I had tried to watch the movie years ago, but I did not find it worth my while. It was a bit of a bore to me in the beginning, and I couldn’t get past a few scenes.

The book, however, is definitely powerful, it held my attention and raised my blood pressure a bit. The review is below:

“A Heart-wrenching Tale With a Happy Ending

I have tried to get through Matilda, the movie (the original), and I was not engaged enough to find it interesting. I have yet to view the most recent adaptation, and I do not think I will.

However, the book is superb! I expected nothing less from Roald Dahl and his eccentric ways of introducing characters and tying a reader to this story instantly. One moment, I thought I knew what would take place and the next moment, I was pleasantly surprised.

Matilda is an empathetic, sweet, overly-intelligent, and compact grown-up who catches on quickly. She doesn’t seem much like a child at all. And the adults in her life are all soulless, foul human beings–save for Ms. Jenny Honey.

I wanted so badly for Ms. Trunchbull, the Headmistress of Matilda’s school, to get her comeuppance, and when she did, I was elated! No child should experience what the children of that school endured by the abusive actions of the vulgar and heartless, Trunchbull.

This is a captivating story of patience, resilience, determination, application of simple powers, and love. And when there’s love, there’s always a way.

The ending is the cherry on top of the cake. And it brings the story together phenomenally. If you haven’t read Matilda, I urge you to do so, and soon.

You won’t regret it.”

Lately, I have been trying to find every happy place I can muster up. Reading this book became one. Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

Scavengers Reign: An Animated Series/Dead At 44

trE
Scavengers Reign

Season 1 of this MAX animated series is also on Netflix. I am hooked! There are 12 episodes and I watched 9 of them on Sunday. I watched the remaining 3 episodes Monday evening after work.

They’re bite-sized. Each of them is no more than 23-28 minutes. The story’ll pull you in with emotionally charged occurrences and devastating results in the last 4 episodes.

I was cursing at the screen and telling “Kris” off as if she could hear me. I was Team Azi and Demeter 227 all the way! It’s a heartbreaking and invigorating tale, and I could not look away!

And . . . it has a happy ending. I was pleased to see everything work out for the “good characters.” I was also pleased to see the main evil creature get its comeuppance.

If you’re into animated science fiction/fantasy/alien life forms, etc., then this series is one you should queue up and enjoy! I’m secretly praying there will be a Season 2!

As I was writing this post, one of my closest friends called to let me know a fellow classmate of ours died over the weekend. Currently, the cause is unknown, and there are no further details, no funeral or viewing arrangements, etc.

We have lost many classmates over the years; the first for me happened when I was only fourteen years old. I do not want to say I’m numb to this, for I am not. I just . . . it’s becoming much too frequent to ignore how dead it makes me feel inside.

He was forty-four years old and surviving him are his three children. Two in high school; a son and a daughter, and one in elementary school. Death is a seeker. It has an agenda and when it is on a mission, that mission will always get accomplished. Whatever need the Lord has for this soul is God’s alone.

*Sighs* I just really wish this wasn’t the news she had to share. But, here we are. And there’s nothing any of us can do about it. It’s life doing what life does and we must go on.

Two Things Thursday #19

trE
1. A Poem for Eustace R. Conway, IV created with Canva by Tremaine L. Loadholt

trapped trauma for the mountain man

a poem for Eustace R. Conway, IV

boy blue’d and black-hearted
made by a stubborn man
found himself peacekeeper
of the wild.

so sick of torture and
pinged for disobedience, he
trekked the world outside
his father’s home and made
love to the Carolina forests.

with nature as his mistress,
there was no place too
remote for this young man
trapped in his traumatic past
struggling to build a present.

he had loves who loved him
but he didn’t understand the
rules of falling in love, and
suffered heartbreaking consequences,
instead.

when fame found him
and plastered his noble features
on nationwide television, he
remained humble.
journalists, writers, and nosy
women wanted a piece of
Boone-infused pie.

his father’s namesake and his
mother’s favorite, he managed
to live up to his expectations
more than anyone else’s.

and even I, in my soon-to-be
mid-40s, can appreciate the
pain of childhood trauma when
it shapes and molds a
man into one who is
probably five times better
than his father.

or, that’s what I’d love
to believe to be true.

2. Lenny Kravitz. Photo courtesy of Essence.

1. I am enjoying the book I’m currently reading so much and the subject/character of interest, Eustace R. Conway, IV, that I was moved to write a poem about him.

My reading of the book led me to a few Google searches about him, and he’s really an incredible human being! I had no idea he was one of the most influential and liked characters of the no-longer-running show, Mountain Men on The History Channel.

Apparently, he’s uber sexy and intriguing to a lot of his fans and the envy of many men longing to learn more about mountain living and gaining sustainability in remote areas among nature.

2. Leonard Albert Kravitz, lovingly known as Lenny Kravitz, is a singer, songwriter, actor, father, and all-around beautiful human being.

He has had many musical hits and a signature, distinctive sound.

When you hear Lenny Kravitz, you know it’s him.

Here’s a YouTube video of my all-time favorite song by him: “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over”. Enjoy!

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over

A Tuesday Snapshot #25

trE
Empire Bear. ©2024 Tremaine L. Loadholt

Every Tuesday for the last 24 weeks, I have shared a favorite photo I’ve taken within the week with all of you. This week, it is . . . Empire Bear.

This is the last post of the series. Thank you for joining me throughout each week for the images/subjects/inanimate objects that caught my eye.

Peace and blessings

Two Things Thursday #13

trE
1. Marvin Gaye Quote
2. Fantastic Mr. Fox, “I Can Fight My Own Fights” scene via YouTube

1. Marvin Gaye was such an empowering, soulful, and talented human being. The above quote is one of my favorites from him. He left a legacy–this cannot be denied. He had a voice that could tap into your heart and make you release every emotion simultaneously. I don’t think there will ever be another entertainer/musician-magician quite like him.

With timeless classics such as “I Want You,” “Mercy, Mercy, Me,“ “After the Dance,“ “You Sure Love To Ball“ and so many more, his spirit and words will truly live on in our minds and in our hearts.

What is your favorite Marvin Gaye song?

2. Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of my ABSOLUTE favorite movies! I love the characters, plot, and overall theme of the story. Above is one of the scenes I can watch repeatedly and never tire of it. Ash, Mr. Fox’s (or Foxie) son faces his bully and gets a muddied face. His cousin, Kristofferson, is there to right the wrong of this bully and it is EVERYTHING to me.

I hope you enjoy this scene as much as I do.

Two Things Thursday #8

trE
1. Doing Jewish: A Story From Ghana screenshot directly from my TV
2. A lovely card from a dear friend. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

1. Doing Jewish: A Story From Ghana, is a documentary about filmmaker, Gabrielle Zilkha making the trek to Ghana to learn more about Ghanaians practicing Judaism and learning, loving, living, and letting others know about their faith in Africa (specifically Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe, with a prominent focus on Africans in a small village called Sefwi Wiawso, Ghana).

I watched the documentary on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, early in the morning. I found it to be interesting and informative. In all honesty, I needed this particular movie at that particular time.

Here is a brief synopsis of it:

A tiny community in rural Ghana recently discovered that the religion they have been practicing for centuries is Judaism. Filmmaker Gabrielle Zilkha explores their story from isolation to global connection and the challenges and rewards they face along the way.

IMDB, 2016

2. A lovely card from a dear friend. This beautifully multi-colored card arrived in my mailbox on the same day. Again, I needed this. It seemed like things popped up or occurred on Tuesday when I was NOT feeling like myself at all, and I had spiraled into a complete downward unwelcome place.

The Lord knows when to send help. He knows when you need it most. And on Tuesday, I had to be pulled out from a dark place to which I had landed.

I am grateful for good movies, great friends, and momentary interactions with darkness . . . it reminds me just how important love and light is.