The Pliley Review

  Genre:  Drama, Fantasy, Mystery Rating:  TV-MA Synopsis:  A full moon rises in Beacon Hills, and with it a terrifying evil has emerged. The wolves are howling once again, calling for the return of Banshees, Werecoyotes, Hellhounds, Kitsunes, and every other shapeshifter in the night. But only a Werewolf like Scott McCall, no longer a teenager yet still an Alpha, can gather both new allies and reunite trusted friends to fight back against what could be the most powerful and deadliest enemy they’ve ever faced. Being a huge fan of the TV show I was looking forward to this as I was intrigued as to what my favorite supernatural beings were up to and what they would face.  Honestly, for the villain of the story, I was somewhat confused by the choice, especially with the fact that the character highly connected to it in many ways, was missing entirely. Now I know that not all actors want to return for a follow-up, whether it be a sequel or whatever, however with this...

  Genre:  Drama, Horror, Mystery Rating:  TV-MA Synopsis:  Bizarre nightmares unfold in eight tales of terror in a visually stunning, spine-tingling horror collection curated by Guillermo del Toro. As a huge fan of Guillermo del Toro, I had high hopes for this. The opening is visually stunning and the music reminds me of the nightmare before Christmas.  There are some huge stars present and regardless of the story, I personally think everyone did an incredible job showing each character. The problem with a collection of short stories, such as this, is you run into a time problem. Some stories did not get enough time, while others wasted time on things that did not progress fast enough for the time allotted.  Here is a quick breakdown of my thoughts for each episode.  Lot 36 - A very slow start and quick end. Lots of build up very little reward, but the monster was cool. 6 out of 10. Graveyard Rats - Very cool visuals, great story, and straight to th...

Published:  July 16, 2012 Genre:  Science Fiction, Dystopian, Mystery, Adventure Rating:  PG13  Synopsis: The Trials are over. WICKED have collected all the information they can. Now it's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test. But something has happened that no one at WICKED has foreseen: Thomas has remembered more than they think. And he knows WICKED can't be trusted ... The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. This book starts off where we last left Thomas, alone in a room. And this time he is taking no chances. Finally, he has had enough and refuses to trust anything about Wicked.  About damn time if you ask me. That last book...ugh.  This book was a complete shift from the last as right away the story feels more thought through and executed in a way that gives you plenty of action, but also human moments that I loved from the first book. Each ...

  Published:   October 12, 2010 Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Mystery, Adventure Rating: PG13  Synopsis:    Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun.    The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.    Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.    There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive. This book is where the main storyline changes dramatically from the movie. This actually made the review a lot easier as it's not a side-by-side comparison like the first.  I will state for the record that scorch trials is my favorite movie from the franchise but I promise I did my best to remain neutral.  The Sco...

  Published: September 25, 2009 Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Mystery, Adventure Rating: PG13 - Scary scenes and violence.  Synopsis:   When the doors of the lift crank open the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade — a walled encampment at the center of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know how or why they came to be there — or what's happened to the world outside. All they know is that every morning when the walls slide back they will risk everything — even the Grievers; half-machine, half-animal horrors that patrol its corridors — to try to find the way out. For the record, I'm a huge fan of the movie series. I was intrigued by the fact that they were books first so decided to read them. The entire cast will still be pictured as the characters though since I love them all.  After finishing the first book of the series I can see why they decided ...

  Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Mystery Rating: TV 14 Synopsis: Former Avenger Clint Barton has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. Possible? Maybe with the help of Kate Bishop, a 22-year-old archer with dreams of becoming a Super Hero. The two are forced to work together when a presence from Barton's past threatens to derail far more than the festive spirit. To be crystal clear and upfront Hawkeye is my least favorite avenger. I mean when you compare him to the others he is, for lack of a better term, basic. Although being a badass ninja, archer and former assassin is definitely not something most would consider so. Compared to other regular people he is beyond awesome, but when compared to someone who can control lightening it's different.  Anyway on to the series.  In order to understand what is going on in this series, you need to have watched at least the original Avengers movie as well as Avengers Endgame. Both have clear reference...