2015 Annual Preditors & Editors™ Readers' Poll Voting is open! (closes Jan 14)

Last year you guys helped make us the P&E Best Review Site. Voting has begun for the 2015 awards. We have been nominated again!

2015 was the Year of the Sheep! Did we bring a bit of joy, laughter (even if it was the uncomfortable kind) and quirkiness to your life? Maybe even helped ewe find an new-to-you author or awesome read?

If you feel like we deserve your vote again this year, please head over and give us some love. There is a chance to leave a comment on why ewe voted for us and we would love to hear your reason.

Voting link

http://critters.org/predpoll/reviewsite.shtml

I Smell Sheep is on the list twice (trying to get that fixed) just vote for the first one on the list so our votes don't get split.

Voting closes Jan 14!

Thank you and big sloppy sheep kisses to the flock!

Movie Review: Daddy's Home (2015)

Daddy's Home 2015
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements, crude and suggestive content, and for language)

Genre: Comedy
Directed By: Sean Anders
Written By: Etan Cohen, Adam McKay, Chris Henchy, Brian Burns, Sean Anders
Cast:  Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini 

Dec 25, 2015 Wide
Runtime: 1 hr. 36 min.
Paramount Pictures - Official Site

Stepdad, Brad Whitaker, is a radio host trying to get his stepchildren to love him and call him Dad. But his plans turn upside down when the biological father, Dusty Mayron, returns.

This was pretty much what you expect. The trailer is pretty accurate. The story was predictable, but it was still a lot of fun. I went with my husband and 14 year old daughter and we all laughed. The ending is hilarious.

If you are looking for something to do on a cold or rainy day this is worth a matinee price. Seeing it on the big screen won't make it better so if you are a DVD kind of person then grab it if you like these kind of movies. Young adults will love it, but be careful with how young since there is some language and sexual humor.

3.75 "dancing" Sheep

SharonS

NC Comicon 2015 Recap

Check out the facebook page for a ton of great pics.

This was my first time attending the NC Comicon. I had no idea what to expect. I took my 14 year old daughter (cosplaying Dean Winchester) and we didn't want to leave! First off it was much bigger than I thought it would be. Last I heard there were over 10,000 people attending. It was held in the Durham Convention Center and spanned three days and I was impressed with the venue. The con couldn't be contained in one place. There were three buildings and streets were blocked off so vendors could set up outside.

The big draw (heehee, see what I did there) were the two guests of honor. Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy comic with Dark Horse and My Chemical Romance) and Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead artist) were both exclusive appearances to NC Comicon. There was a charge for signings/pic but all proceeds went to the Duke Children’s Hospital. They donated $15,703.

 

Big shout of thanks to the people involved in brining NC comic madness: Ultimate Comics founder Alan Gill, comic artist Tommy Lee Edwards, and coordinated by comic writer Brockton McKinney.

Then there were the costumes! Everyone there was smiling and happy to take pictures. Holly even found a Castiel to take a pic with. My favorites are the mash-up costumes. There was a Deadpool unicorn. I know, right?! Check out this gallery from The Variant website for some great shots.

I met many indie artist/writers as well as those who work for major publishers. It was amazing getting to talk with people passionate about their work.

Danny Quick owner/writer 4th Wall Productions

Eric Guerrero (Rage Gear Studios), Cliff Chiang (Paper Girls/Image Comics) 

I got to meet Dave Dwonch author of Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab at the Action Lab Entertainment booth. *waves at David* 

I also checked out the Valiant Comics booth and grabbed 5 of my favorite series.

If there is a comicon in your area take the time and go! I can't wait for NC Comicon 2016!

Click past the page break to see the cool people Baaart met...

New Book Releases in Speculative Fiction for December 22

I've missed the last two weeks of releases! *shakes head* December isn't a big release month from what I've seen. But here is what I found for this week...

WTFery is a cow photobomb...

Movie Review: The Force Awakens 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
December 18, 2015 (USA)
Director: J.J. Abrams
Film series: Star Wars
Music composed by: John Williams
Story by: George Lucas

official site
Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. When a defector named Finn crash-lands on a desert planet, he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a top-secret map. Together, the young duo joins forces with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last of the Jedi Knights.

Review by Pamela K. Kinney

I will warn of spoiler alerts here, so if you have not seen the movie and don’t like spoilers, please, do not read any farther.

Highlight below to read

Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a rag-tag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.

It starts off with a sparkling image of Lucasfilms’ LTD, no Disney logo insight. Though we all know by now (unless you live under a rock) that Disney owns all rights to Star Wars. The familiar crawl of words comes after that, stating that Luke has been missing for some time and that General Leia has sent the Resistance’s best man for finding the map of his whereabouts to find him as they need him back to help them in battling a new foe, the First Order. The First Order is built on the same principals as Palpatine’s rule—formed out out of the Darkside—its goal to rule the galaxy.

The First Order. Obviously, some are remnants of the former Empire wanting back their glory days of Palpatine’s rule, only now this is under a new leader, “Supreme Leader Snoke.” Most of him is by hologram and he looks creepy and alien—is he a new Sith lord that has arisen after the defeat of Palpatine and Vader in Return of the Jedi? Or something else?

This movie is what was old is new again. Old in the stormtroopers, new in the way their helmets look, like having their former what I call a frown, now turned upside down or like a smile. Or as some have said, looking like a duck, like Donald Duck. The First Order no longer uses clones, instead they were taking children at a very young age and training and programming them to become these new stormtroopers. Maybe they assumed they would be better shots, but I think they missed this as it appeared to me these new guys still can’t hit the broad side of a barn, as the joke has always been. Another old is new, is Kylo Ren, a Darth Vader wannabe. Like Anakin Skywalker and less like Vader, he acts out in spoiled child anger when certain things do not go his way, destroying equipment on the ship he is on. There were times I wanted to reach through the screen and smack him, tell him to grown up. More of this particular old is new, how they had made him look like Anakin. Can you not figure out who he might be? If anyone has read any of the old Star wars Expanded Universe books before Disney said those were gone to create their own universe after ROTJ, there is an ‘a-ha’ moment when Kylo’s is in fact told in the film. Kylo Ren is acted by Adam Driver. I don’t think I am ready to place him in the gallery of best evil rogues and villains at this time. For a Vader wannabe, he would need to wear Vader’s boots and cape and be the nasty, evilness that was Palpatine/Darth Sidious, the one I always felt was truly evil, as he had no qualms about anything he did.

Also old is the original main characters from the original Trilogy, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and yes, Luke. Han and Leia have been separated for a few years, due to personal tragedy in their lives concerning their son. Harrison Ford reminded me more of the older Indiana Jones from the fourth film than Han Solo. And that was fine with me. Chewie has been with Han. When both show up on the Millennium Falcon and Hans says, “Chewie, we’re home,” clapping filled the theater. We missed Han or someone like him in the Prequels and it appeared I was not the only one happy to have him and Chewbacca together and back! And Leia is now General Organa, in charge of the Resistance battling the First Order from taking over the New Republic. As Leia pointed out to Han, each had their own way of dealing with the aftermath of the disappearance of their son. Han his way and she hers, doing what she has done before, helping with the Resistance. As for Luke, he had been training the new Jedi order when terrible things happened, and he vanished in search of the first Jedi Temple. One of these terrible things by the way, concerned Han’s and Leia’s son Ben, whom Luke had been training, as the boy had the Force in him same as his mother and uncle, same as his grandfather.

New are new main heroes and heroines. There is Finn, one of the stormtroopers who could no longer stomach the violent things done in the name of the First Order. He helps Poe Dameron (played by Oscar Isaac), the pilot sent by Leia to get the map escape so he can get a pilot for a Tie Fighter and race away from this life he hates. He knows what they will do to a traitor and he is frightened. Finn is played by John Boyega and though he does fine, his acting of his character could have been better. After their tie fighter crashes on Jukka, a desert planet; he thinks Poe is dead. Then he comes to the small settlement and runs into a young woman, Rey, played by Daisy Ridley. She is kick ass. She can fight her own battles, she can fly, and is smart. I loved how Ms. Ridley portrays this character well. Be sure to watch this actress for things in the future, besides the new Star Wars films. Though there is a slight click between the two, it is not as believable as the one between Han, Leia and Luke. Their budding friendship is too fast. As for Poe, he did not die as Finn thought, and I think he might be the new “Han Solo” for this new saga, best pilot in the galaxy and cocky and brave. But again, that could be Finn, too. My favorite quote of his when Kylo Ren had captured him: "so...how does this go? Do you talk first? Do I talk first?" My favorite new character who can be considered old but new again is a new robot—BB-8. He is adorable, cute, funny and loyal. He moves fast and behaves a little like a puppy. His relationship with all the characters (especially with Poe) is heartwarming.

I have set up some spoilers, but not all. To give away all of the secrets of this film would ruin it for those who accidently read this, or want to anyway before seeing the movie. Plus some are still merely speculation as only a mere smidgen of Finn’s and Rey’s background are told or shown in the film. I will give fair forewarning that there is a shocker close to the end of the movie. Enough to catch me of guard. Though there is a logical reason behind it due to certain story concerning Return of the Jedi, still, it was heartbreaking. As for J.J. Abrams directing of the film, it is way better than Lucas handling of Episode 1-3. Is it a Lucas film? No, there is more of a sense of Spielberg touch in this. Now Abrams has been taken under the wing of Spielberg and you have seen it in a past film, Super 8. Personally, I would love to have seen Spielberg direct this film (he did those four Indiana Jones movies, remember?). It is said they even wanted him to direct this film. He instead suggested Abrams.

The action was great. Better placed here than in the two Star Trek films he directed. There are those moments of tribute to the original films, even in the storyline. Can it stand toe-to-toe with what I think is still the best Star Wars film, Empire Strikes Back? No, but it is many steps above the Prequels. And the ending, I won’t give away for those who haven’t seen it an accidently read this, keeping their sense of wonder and anticipation for this movie. It does have me wanting to see Episode VIII in 2017. And to see how the new director handles it.

I give Star Wars: The Force Awakens 4 ‘May the Force Be With You’ sheep.

 

December The Year of the Sheep Giveaway

There is only one more month to celebrate the Year of the Sheep! Then those freaking monkeys take over...
Let's say congratulations to our three November winners:

Prize Pack #1 Stephanie F.

Prize Pack #2 Lizzielvr

Prize Pack #3 Alexisa

Link to what they won

http://www.ismellsheep.com/2015/11/november-year-of-sheep-giveaway.html

Time for the December Year of the Sheep giveaway

There are special entries for sheeples who go that extra mile to prove their love. You can sheepify a picture. If you are still confused about what or how to do this check out two of our followers ideas!

These five devoted sheeples are showing their devotion...

I can't figure out who sent their allegiance cupcake! But it is awesome.

Judith shows that sheep have infiltrated the dog world 

Eva millien needs books baaaaaad

Linda Larson shares the next generation this is her husband holding a lamb they babysat!

Jacqui sent pics of her sheep!

Special Thanks for the December giveaways

Penguin Random House for books!

Dawn Cavenee for the cool Year of the Sheep shirt

Prize Pack #1 (US only) books & shirt

 These 15 books are signed!

sorry for my crappy iPad camera, if you can't read a cover let me know in the comments and I'll tell you :)

these 7 books aren't signed (below)

Prize Pack #2 (US)

This is a bag from the Vampire Ball at the 2013 Authors After Dark Convention in Savannah, GA

Prize Pack #3 (US/Int.) 
Sheep swag tote, desk calendar, Year of the Sheep Canadian stamp, candy, sheep ornament, sheep poo bookmark (will add some author swag) plus some Star Wars goodies!

THERE ARE Two RAFFLEDUDES! Pay attention to what you enter. One is US only and the other is for US and Int.

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway