“Life” – be prepared to have it scared out of you with this suspenseful space story

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Denise

“This isn’t your buddy.“

Nutshell: Alien meets Gravity in a well thought out, well acted genre film that hits all the right buttons. While I hated the all-but-boilerplate-in-this-genre ending, there’s no denying it’s not necessarily a bad way to send off a creepy-good, terrifying thrill ride.  Grade: A-

Story: Hey – the soil samples from Mars have finally come to the space station!  I’m sure this one-celled organism will be the cure for everything, and everybody’s BFF.  Because E.T. was awesome y’all!  Hey, why is it holding my hand…so…tightly? OW DAMMIT DAMMIT GET IT OFF!

Genre I’d put it in: Alien Knockoffs That Nail It

Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: While it harks back to many sci-fi horror tales, it’s wholly original. Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: “The Boss Baby”!

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Denise

Hey everyone, and happy National Puppy Day!  I’ve got passes for the Baltimore screening of The Boss Baby, and figured why not share it on such a joyous day?  Synopsis!

DreamWorks Animation and the director of Madagascar invite you to meet a most unusual baby.  He wears a suit, speaks with the voice and wit of Alec Baldwin, and stars in the animated comedy, DreamWorks’ The Boss Baby.  The Boss Baby is a hilariously universal story about how a new baby’s arrival impacts a family, told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator, a wildly imaginative 7 year old named Tim.  With a sly, heart-filled message about the importance of family, DreamWorks’ The Boss Baby is an authentic and broadly appealing original comedy for all ages.

Advance comments I’ve heard say that this is actually a really sweet, funny movie.  So are you ready?  Let’s go!

Continue reading →

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“Beauty and the Beast” – a beastly good live-action adaptation

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Denise

“A life sentence for a rose?”

Nutshell: Like Jungle Book before it, Beauty and the Beast is a live adaptation that is quite possibly even better than the original. Grade: A

Story: A girl that feels like an outsider in her “Provincial town” decides to offer up herself as a substitute when her father is imprisoned by a Prince…a quite beastly prince indeed. At least, at first. A Stockholm Syndrome as old as time? Well, I like to think of it as the sweetest meet-not-so-cute story you’ll ever see. Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious!

Genre I’d put it in: Live Action Fairytales Made From Animated Fairytales Made From Actual Fairytales

Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: A live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1991 animated classic, which is an adaptation of the classic fairytale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Continue reading →

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Columbia Screening Pass-palooza: “Life”!

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Denise

Ready for some alien stuff?  Because I got your alien stuff RIGHT HERE.  I’ve got passes for the Columbia screening of Life, the “what the heck is out there” movie that’s coming soon. Synopsis!

Life is a terrifying sci-fi thriller about a team of scientists aboard the International Space Station whose mission of discovery turns to one of primal fear when they find a rapidly evolving life form that caused extinction on Mars, and now threatens the crew and all life on Earth.

The trailers look spooky and fun, nice trick that.  With me?  C’mon! Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: CHiPs”!

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Denise

I loved CHiPs when I was a kid.  Ponch and Jon were the coolest, and even now it’s fun anytime I see either one on TV. Since 22 Jump Street did so well with its comedic reboot, I’m hoping for the same for CHiPs.  Synopsis!

Jon Baker (Dax Shepard) and Frank “Ponch” Poncherello (Michael Peña) have just joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Los Angeles but for very different reasons.  Baker is a beaten up pro motorbiker trying to put his life and marriage back together.  Poncherello is a cocky undercover Federal agent investigating a multi-million dollar heist that may be an inside job—inside the CHP. The inexperienced rookie and hardened pro are teamed together, but clash more than click, so kickstarting a partnership is easier said than done.  But with Baker’s bike skills combined with Ponch’s street savvy it might just work…if they don’t drive each other crazy along the way.

Shepard and Peña are a hoot, so watching them together?  Two treats in one?  Only one way to find out…let’s go see!

Continue reading →

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TrailerWatch: “Despicable Me 3” – Gru goes back to the dark side?

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Denise

Probably for the cookies.  I hear they’re pretty good.  Synopsis!

The team who brought you Despicable Me and the biggest animated hits of 2013 and 2015, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, returns to continue the adventures of Gru, Lucy, their adorable daughters—Margo, Edith and Agnes—and the Minions.

Not too much 411 in there, but in the trailer we see a new nemesis – Benjamin Balthazar Bratt – and Gru’s twin brother Dru.  Look for the usual brotherly competition there, I’m guessing. Plus, MINIONS!  The Minions are just as cute as ever, and while Minions was fun to look at, it just wasn’t the same without Gru.

Despicable Me 3 hits theaters June 30th, 2017.  Ba-na-na!

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TrailerWatch: “Wonder Woman” gets mythical in origin trailer

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Denise

Who is Diana Prince?  Well, of course she’s Wonder Woman (SPOILER), but with so many different origin stories, it’s hard to keep track.  Was she made out of clay and brought to life by Hippolyta?  Was she the love child of Hippolyta and Zeus?  Or is she the God Killer, forged by Zeus himself?

The new trailer for Wonder Woman teases us with a “more than Amazon” story for Ms. Prince, and I’m digging it.

Wonder Woman lassos theaters in June.

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: “Beauty and the Beast”!

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Denise

UPDATE – Winners of the “Beauty and the Beast” screening that is scheduled for tomorrow night, March 14th: THE SCREENING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO MARCH 15TH.

TICKETS FOR THE 3/14 SCREENING ARE VALID FOR 3/15!

Be safe, stay warm!

***

NEW SCREENING
Wednesday, March 15 – 7:30 PM
AMC White Marsh
*This screening will be in IMAX 3D

Cancelled screening: There will be no screening Tuesday, March 14.

TICKETS FOR THE 3/14 SCREENING ARE VALID FOR 3/15.

– It’s the same place and time, on the date has changed.
– Winners do not need anything new or different to attend Wednesday – the ticket they have will get them in.
– We don’t want anyone traveling to White Marsh tomorrow night (even if they are open).

***

Tale as old as time…and I’ve got passes y’all!  It’s the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, and if I can spoil my upcoming review a little bit because the press embargo has lifted?  I LOVED IT.  So you’re definitely gonna wanna get in this. Synopsis!

Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is a live-action re-telling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs.

So grab some grey stuff – it’s delicious. C’mon! Continue reading →

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“Kong: Skull Island” – Kong gets monstrous in this excellent reboot

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Denise

Nutshell: Outstanding FX, fantastic (if a bit too done-before) soundtrack, and a cast that makes you feel all the fear and wonder of being stranded on an island full of kaiju. A popcorn flick par excellence, even with a few bumpy Snidley Whiplash moments of villain characterization. All hail the King, indeed. Grade: A-

“What Imaginary Monster are you hunting now?”

Story: Picture it, 1973.  The Vietnam War was ending, and two scientists wander into a congressional office to ask for research funds.  Why?  Because there’s an island – Skull Island – that could house a monster.  Oh, and those troops you’re recalling?  Could we have a few please?  Just to be on the safe side, I’m sure things’ll be fine…

Genre I’d put it in: Kaiju Warz

Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: A reboot of King Kong, and the second film in the Warner Brothers/Legendary & Toho Co. “Monsterverse”. Continue reading →

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Blu-ray Giveaway: “Sing”!

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Denise

Time for a giveaway y’all!  I’ve got copies of Sing, and I’m dying to give them away.  Remember?  Well, just in case…synopsis!

Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (Academy Award® winner Matthew McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times.  Buster is an eternal—some might even say delusional—optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it.  Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.  For the funny, charming, uplifting—and most of all, deeply human—film that features more than 65 songs, McConaughey is joined by fellow Oscar® winner Reese Witherspoon, as well as Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Tori Kelly.  From writer/director Garth Jennings, Sing is produced by Illumination Entertainment founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy.

Rating: Rated PG for some rude humor and mild peril

I thought it was cute, though that mouse did get on my nerves a bit.  (Damn you, MacFarlane!)  Ready to grab a copy?  C’mon!

Continue reading →

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