#31in31 2017 – “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later”

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Denise

“We’re through with that, really.”

Story: It’s been 20 years since Michael Meyers went all stabby in Haddonfield. Laurie Strode, now a headmistress of a “posh private school” and living under an assumed name, still has nightmares. But not for long, because Big Mike has found her…and her little (okay, teen) son too. Good thing Laurie’s son is away on a weekend long field trip. OR IS HE?

Scares: Lots of dark places where Michael can hide, and the requisite “he’s right behind me, isn’t he” moments that MM adores. Continue reading →

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#31in31 2017 – “little evil”

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Denise

“We’re working on our manners.”

Story: Gary and Samantha just got married – Mazel! And now Gary not only has a beautiful wife, but a sweet 5-year-old boy as his stepson. Well, maybe not so sweet. In fact, the kid might actually be the Antichrist.

Scares: Not really. “Omen”-esque stuff, but all played for laughs.

Splat factor: Very little, but there is a death with the requisite horror movie blood. Continue reading →

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TrailerWatch: BLACK PANTHER – new trailer *and* poster!

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Denise

Y’all know that there are three comic book characters that I absolutely go crazy about: Harley Quinn, Aquaman…and everybody’s favorite clawed superhero, Black Panther.  So I absolutely had to share the new trailer and poster, bum index finger be-damned! Synopsis!

T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.

And ain’t this new poster amazing? I’m really digging the high-tech art deco vibe.  (Click it for the full large-and-in-charge image.) Wakanda comes to your multiplex February 16th, 2018.

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: “Thank You for Your Service”!

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Denise

That trailer/Shania Twain song combo is amazing, so I’m glad I’ve got passes for Thank You for Your Service. I’d type more, but as I argued with a belt sander yesterday (spoiler: my right index finger lost), why not just get to it? Synopsis!

DreamWorks Pictures’ Thank You for Your Service follows a group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq who struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they’ve left the battlefield.

So let’s gear up for Awards Season Onslaught shall we?   Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: “Only the Brave”!

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Denise

This looks like an amazing film, and the screening is TOMORROW. So? Synopsis!

It’s not what stands in front of you… it’s who stands beside you. Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the nation.  As most of us run from danger, they run toward it – they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.

Ready to bring all the kleenex? C’mon!

Continue reading →

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#31in31 2017: “The Nightmare”

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Denise

“This is the story of eight people and what waits for them in the darkness.”

Story: Sleep paralysis. Yeah, I thought it was being trapped in bed. You too? The reality is much worse…because it’s not just the inability to move. It’s the inability to move and seeing terrifying beings coming into your room. This documentary interviews eight people with this condition, letting you inside their terrors.

Scares: A few chills as the real-life interviewees describe what they see during their episodes.

Continue reading →

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TrailerWatch: “The New Mutants” shows Marvel’s spooky side

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Denise

“This isn’t a hospital.  It’s a haunted house!”

Marvel’s new trailer for The New Mutants has got me all sorts of twitterpated.  First off, the cast includes Arya Stark Masie Williams as Wolfsbane, and Split‘s Final Girl Anya Taylor-Joy as Magik.  Then there’s the rest of the mutant crew; Mirage, Cannonball, Sunspot…and a creepy as hell hospital.  Then there’s the premise, which has me dying to find out more. Synopsis!

Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves.

This is a damn impressive trailer, and I can’t wait to see what the full film has in store. The New Mutants hits theaters April 13th, 2018!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu9e410C__I

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Elsewhere Review: “Anansi Boys (Playaway Edition)”

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Denise
Read the original (okay, I wrote this in ’05) here at Green Man Review!

Ah, family. You can’t live with ’em, you can’t wish ’em into an alternate plane of existence.

The say that a long time ago a spider stole all of the stories from a tiger. Maybe it’s just that the spider told them better. Who doesn’t like a tale well told? But you can’t go around as a spider forever, sometimes you’ve gotta mix things up. Keeps things interesting. Just ask Mr. Nancy, he’d tell you. This sporty fellow from American Gods makes his way closer to the limelight here in Anansi Boys.

This time Mr. Nancy throws off what little disguise he had in American Gods and appears as Anansi, full-fledged trickster god, flashy lemon-yellow gloves and all. But as entertaining as he is, he’s not the main character of this story. As the title tells you, this Anansi tale is about his children, Charlie Nancy and his long-lost twin brother, Spider. The cause of the separation is a bit muddy in the beginning, but don’t worry; why they became separated and how they are re-introduced is the focus of this tale. Continue reading →

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Elsewhere Review: Ronald Kelly, “Midnight Grinding”

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Denise
Read the original (okay, I wrote this in ’09) HERE at Green Man Review!

Ronald Kelly? Hrm. Never heard of him, I thought. Until I took a look at the list of stories in this collection and realized not only had I heard of him, I liked his stuff. And I had a few stories of his on my bookshelf, thanks to Cold Blood, Shock Rock and Borderlands 3. So what started out as just another review turned into a sort of fact-finding mission to see what else he has going on. The result? Midnight Grinding is a fabulous collection of tales well told that may keep you up at night either checking under the bed . . . or tucked firmly under your covers too scared to even take a peek.

Continue reading →

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#31in31 2017 – “Gerald’s Game”

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Denise

“It was death you saw. And he’s coming back tonight.”

Story: A couple at their lake house try to spice up their relationship. But Viagra and a heart condition makes things fatal for husband Gerald. And with wife Jessie handcuffed to the bed in the middle of nowhere, her life may be winding down as well. At least she’s got her hallucinations to keep her company.

Scares: Psychological chills mostly, with a few icky bits of creep thrown in. Continue reading →

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