TrailerWatch: Crank up the Awards Season Machine for “A Private War”

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Denise

Time for Award Season Onslaught y’all!  Yeah, it’s still August.  But I’m seeing a few films that look like shiny, shiny awards fodder.  Operation Finale is one, and now comes a biopic starring Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan and Stanley Tucci. Sounds award-y?  I think so too.  Synopsis!

In a world where journalism is under attack, Marie Colvin (Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike) is one of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time. Colvin is an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontlines of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless, while constantly testing the limits between bravery and bravado. After being hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka, she wears a distinctive eye patch and is still as comfortable sipping martinis with London’s elite as she is confronting dictators. Colvin sacrifices loving relationships, and over time, her personal life starts to unravel as the trauma she’s witnessed takes its toll. Yet, her mission to show the true cost of war leads her — along with renowned war photographer Paul Conroy (Jamie Dornan) — to embark on the most dangerous assignment of their lives in the besieged Syrian city of Homs. Based on the extraordinary life of Marie Colvin, A PRIVATE WAR is brought to the screen by Academy Award nominee and critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman in his pulse-pounding narrative feature debut.

A Private War hits theaters November 2nd. Check out the trailer below – it’s absolutely riveting.  I can’t wait to see what documentary filmmaker Heineman does with this biopic, because this taste looks incredible. And welcome, welcome to Award Season!

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ROE Giveaway: “The Little Stranger”!

Posted on August 24, 2018 by Denise

Movies based on novels are happening all over the place.  They’re adaptations as old as time. And so today I’ve got an ROE (Run Of Engagement) pass and book prize pack for The Little Stranger! Synopsis!

THE LITTLE STRANGER tells the story of Dr. Faraday, the son of a housemaid, who has built a life of quiet respectability as a country doctor. During the long hot summer of 1948, he is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall, where his mother once worked. The Hall has been home to the Ayres family for more than two centuries. But it is now in decline and its inhabitants – mother, son and daughter – are haunted by something more ominous than a dying way of life. When he takes on his new patient, Faraday has no idea how closely, and how disturbingly, the family’s story is about to become entwined with his own.

What’s great about an ROE?  Well, you can pick the time and day you’d like (during the workweek, typically) and go.  No standing in line.  No wondering if you’ll get a seat.  Go, present your ROE pass, and enjoy the show. Period. Ready to get your literary and movie-ary thang on? Let’s go!

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: “Operation Finale”!

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Denise

Whoa. The trailer for this docudrama looks incredible.  Synopsis!

This thrilling true story follows the 1960 covert mission of legendary Mossad agent Peter Malkin as he infiltrates Argentina and captures Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi officer who masterminded the transportation logistics that brought millions of innocent Jews to their deaths in concentration camps.

Ready to get your historical thriller on? Let’s go!

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The Happytime Murders tries too hard to be “cool”

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Denise

Nutshell: I wasn’t expecting much here – I’m still smarting from McCarthy’s Life of the Party – so I was pleasantly surprised by a handful of genuinely good gags. Unfortunately, the film as a whole tries too hard to be comically edgy, and ends up falling flat. Grade: D+

“You look like a cloth vagina.”

Story: In an alternate reality LA, puppets and humans coexist. Well, kinda; puppets are definitely second class citizens in this scenario. But when puppets start getting murdered, puppet PI Phil Philips must team up with his former partner, Detective Connie Edwards, and find out who’s doing the puppets dirty. And speaking of dirty, cue the puppet jizz! Continue reading →

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New Prince track, “Mary Don’t You Weep” for “BlackKkKlansman” gives me all the feelings

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Denise

We’ve all heard that His Royal Purpleness had recorded tons of music before his passing (and yes, I’m still in a bit denial that he’s gone.) But Spike Lee got the okay to use this gorgeous song for BlackKkKlansman. And Lee went ahead and gave us a music video as well. Can I get a woohoo? WOOHOO!
BlackKkKlansman is now playing in theaters. Check out the video below, and let me know what you think!

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TrailerWatch: “THE OATH” talks turkeys

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Denise

I love holiday disfunction movies. But The Oath looks like a prescient documentary for folks who have loved ones across the aisle. Still funny as hell though. Synopsis!

A controversial White House policy turns family member against family member in THE OATH, a savagely funny dark comedy about surviving life and Thanksgiving in the age of political tribalism. When Chris (Ike Barinholtz), a high-strung 24-hour progressive news junkie, and his more levelheaded wife Kai (Tiffany Haddish) learn that citizens are being asked to sign a loyalty oath to the President, their reaction is disbelief, followed by idealistic refusal. But as the Thanksgiving deadline to sign approaches, the combination of sparring relatives, Chris’s own agitation and the unexpected arrival of two government agents (John Cho and Billy Magnussen) sends an already tense holiday dinner gathering completely off the rails. As timely as it is outrageous, THE OATH is a gleefully wicked reinvention of the traditional holiday comedy for our divisive political times.

The Oath comes to town October 12th.

https://youtu.be/OV03zjNVRdc

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TrailerWatch: “AURORA” brings beauty and…bodies?

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Denise

Thanks to Bloody Disgusting, here’s a gorgeous, atmospheric look at Aurora, a chilling and absolutely gorgeous horror film from the Phillipines.

Read the piece at BD for more info! (Because I’m really lazy today, and they’ve done a damn good job.)

Here’s hoping we’ll get a release date soon here in the States!

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Catching Up Review: “The Meg”

Posted on August 13, 2018 by Denise
Already in theaters?  Yeah, I go to the multiplex like A Normal when I miss a screening. Here’s a peek at my thoughts about The Meg!

Big Ass Shark!  Who doesn’t love a blockbuster shark movie during the summer?  Well, folks who are looking for either a fun B-movie blast or a serious action thriller. The Meg is a fun but forgettable shark movie that never quite figured out what it wants to be when it grows up.

Bingbing Li and Jason Statham give good action movie, with their knowledgeable, tough but caring divers Suyin and Jonas. I especially like that Suyin is more than capable, and does her fair share of rescuing, instead of being the stock female character in distress. Continue reading →

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Columbia Screening Pass-palooza: “The Meg”!

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Denise

BIG HONKIN’ SHARK. Cool book, and the trailer looks like it’s gonna be a whole lotta big, toothy fun. Synopsis!

In the film, a deep-sea submersible—part of an international undersea observation program—has been attacked by a massive creature, previously thought to be extinct, and now lies disabled at the bottom of the deepest trench in the Pacific…with its crew trapped inside.  With time running out, expert deep sea rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) is recruited by a visionary Chinese oceanographer (Winston Chao), against the wishes of his daughter Suyin (Li Bingbing), to save the crew—and the ocean itself—from thisunstoppable threat: a pre-historic 75-foot-long shark known as the Megalodon.  What no one could have imagined is that, years before, Taylor had encountered this same terrifying creature.  Now, teamed with Suyin, he must confront his fears and risk his own life to save everyone trapped below…bringing him face to face once more with the greatest and largest predator of all time.

Ready? Let’s go!

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: “Mile-22”!

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Denise

Happy Monday y’all!  I’ve got passes for Mile-22, and I’m ready to share ’em!  Synopsis!

In a visceral modern thriller from the director of Lone Survivor, Mark Wahlberg stars as James Silva, an operative of the CIA’s most highly-prized and little-known unit. Aided by a top-secret tactical command team, Silva must transport an asset (Iko Uwais) who has vital information to a Southeast Asian airfield for extraction before the enemy closes in. MILE 22 also stars Lauren Cohan, Ronda Rousey, and John Malkovich.

Yeah, sorry folks; I’m not digging into the movie because Boo-Boo Foot is making getting tired my current hobby.  But anyway, let’s go!

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