Knockout Noel - Book Review

Knockout Noel is an example of how you'll find some real gems when reading indie books sometimes.

I met the author, Nobutaro Masai, at a recent convention I attended. He was my neighbor vendor, as we were both selling our books there. I decided to purchase his books and give them a shot, and I'm very glad that I did, because Knockout Noel is truly excellent.

The book follows a boxer as she works towards becoming the best in her league so that she can support herself and her little sister at home. The story takes place in Battletown, a world not unlike something you'd find in a 90s beat-em-up video game, and the book reads very much like a video game, too, as we see Noel casually taking on foes and encountering boss fights as she goes about her everyday life and works towards her goals. The world in this book plays by its own rules, and it even has its own unique language in certain regards, too.

The world building and overall creativity on display was top notch, and the action sequences are seriously epic at times, but more than that was the character work throughout. In addition to Noel, we meet quite the cast of compelling characters, both heroes and villains, who all bring their own ideologies into the fold that challenge Noel's purpose and worldview. She's hard headed and brutish, but she does have a heart, and little by little we witness as her inner softy gradually comes more to the forefront, without losing who she is at her core.

In many regards, the writing reminded me of my own writing, not just in its style of prose, but also in the way the story plays out. Perhaps that's why I personally found myself drawn so strongly to it, but I was honestly very impressed with how it all played out. Like my own writing, I get the feeling that this story was originally conceived as a comic book, but was translated into a novel format instead, likely due to availability of resources at the time. But whatever the case, I thoroughly enjoyed following along on the journey of this book, and quickly became a fan.

I have since reached out to the author to tell him my thoughts on the book, and to also confirm that a sequel was indeed in the works. He said that it was, which I was thrilled to hear, though there is also a spin-off book from the series to keep me occupied in the meantime. But as to this book? Let's just say that I have read many indie books over the years, and they run the gamut in terms of quality. I've read books that felt more like outlines than finished novels. I've started books that were so bad that I couldn't even finish them, or in some stubborn cases were a chore to force myself through. But on the other end of the spectrum, I've read some really great stuff, works that motivated my own creativity and really inspired me. But among all the indie novels that I've read, Knockout Noel may well rise to the top as the best of the lot. I'd highly recommend checking it out, as I would recommend giving a shot to indie novels in general.

Obsession - Movie Review

Is it possible for a film to be too effective? The new horror film, Obsession, though a great film, was incredibly unsettling, to the point that it honestly begs the question. Fair warning, we're going to get into some spoilers as we proceed in this discussion of the film.

The film is about a guy who makes a wish for his crush to fall in love with him, and that wish comes true in the worst possible way. There are layers to how disturbing this movie gets, and the various different horrors that come into play. Right off the bat, I'd like to reiterate that this was a tremendously made film. The use of lighting and shadows is brilliant, the writing is well thought out (every time I thought I found a hole in the film's plot, the film eventually addressed it), and the acting is top notch, particularly from Inde Navarrette, who gives an outstandingly dynamic performance. This is a hauntingly captivating movie that'll ingrain its horrifying visuals and ideas into your mind.

The movie is also incredibly brutal, again, to a disturbing degree, and some characters' fates are sealed in ways that they really, truly don't deserve, but which sadly make all too much sense within the narrative. It's truly a feel bad movie in the best way possible. When I left the theater, I wasn't sure how much I even liked the movie, as it left me feeling dirty for even watching it, and yet I held nothing but high regard for it.

The concepts this movie deals with are truly skin crawling, and director Curry Barker doesn't shy away from going all the way with his best worst ideas. The character of Nikki doesn't just fall for our lead, she becomes possessed by a different entity entirely who is dangerously obsessed with him, while the real Nikki finds herself trapped inside her own body. I've played with this idea in some of my own fiction, both published and unpublished to date, but this film really nails just how terrifying such a scenario would be in reality.

And that's not even the main concept of horror at play. Our lead character, Bear, finds himself having to deal with the overly obsessed girlfriend who's overly emotional and possessive, and it's truly terrifying stuff. She watches him sleep, she desperately duct tapes the door shut to try and trap him inside, and that's just the tame stuff, as I don't want to give everything away in this review. And yet, horrific as the situation is that Bear finds himself in, he's not so innocent himself. Over the course of the film, he realizes that he's not dealing with the real Nikki, that the real her is trapped inside of her. And yet, in one of the most soul crushing moments in the movie, he scolds the real Nikki, asking if it's really so bad being with him, and ultimately accepts that he's fully taking advantage of her, despite all the horror it's bringing into his own life.

Again, in some ways, for me watching this movie is like watching some of my own creative ideas I've played with in my writing coming to life on screen, even if the movie isn't exactly a one for one of those ideas. Some of those ideas I ultimately decided to shelve for various reasons, and seeing those ideas brought to fruition in this film sorta reinforces my decision to move in a different direction creatively, as the end product is incredibly creepy to bare witness to, particularly for my standards. But kudos to the director for totally going all in to those darker places.

In the end, I almost wish I hadn't even watched it. I honestly don't even gravitate towards horror movies these days, despite how many horror films keep getting recommended to me, and this film served as a starch reminder of that. I was left feeling like I needed a palette cleanse after the movie. I felt like I needed to take a shower and wash myself clean. So, was the movie too effective at what it was setting out to achieve? Maybe. And yet, despite it all, how bone chillingly dark and creepy and even rapey the movie can get, I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.