“Attacking the Darkness” – a mockumentary where religion and RPGs collide

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Denise

attacking the darkness

Nutshell: with cinematography and sound that definitely doesn’t scream “Shoestring Indie”, Attacking the Darkness gives a knowing wink to mockumentary fans and RPG aficionados.  There are definite echoes of Christopher Guest films like For Your Consideration and Waiting for Guffman, though Darkness doesn’t have that same biting wit.  Instead, Darkness gives more of a real-life vibe for their characters.  Well, except for Harmony.  She’s nuts. Recommended viewing for you next beer-fest with your tabletop buds.  Grade: B+

“I’ve been trying to witness during work, but it’s hard to multitask.”

Back in the 80s, I remember hearing about how D&D was gonna send us all to hell.  Don’t pass Go, don’t collect $200.  Just a rocket straight down to the abyss.  Kids like me shrugged and continued rolling our d20.  But glibness aside, the “Satanic Panic” of the 80s was all too real, and while I was able to laugh it off back in school, I’m betting some adults weren’t laughing.  There were folks who thought religious people thinking that games would lead to demonic possession were idiots bent on a theological world order, and religious fundamentalists who thought they were saving the world by screaming about magic and damnation.  Same kinda thing happened back when Harry Potter first became a phenomenon (though apparently there are still “true believers” out there), but not to the extent of those crazy 80s nutters that thought the world was ending because I enjoyed painting miniatures. Continue reading →

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Pony News: MLPFiM folks coming to Baltimore Comic-Con! Cider for everybody!

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Denise

BaltimoreComicCon_logo_nodateBronyCon is in two weeks; are you psyched?  I am!  But if you’re looking for MOAR PONE, look no further than Baltimore Comic-Con; they’ve got Katie Cook, Andy Price, Nei Ruffino, Chad Thomas, and Thom Zahler coming to Baltimare September 2nd-4th! I know, right?  20% cooler, y’all.

Two times the pony fun, so let’s get down with our bad selves.  Read on for the full deets, everypony!
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Columbia Screening Pass-palooza: Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates!

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Denise

Mike and Dave Wedding Dates onesheetNo.  I’m not throwing out a request for some pals with that title.  It’s a movie, and it looks like a hoot.  Synopsis!

Hard-partying brothers Mike (Adam Devine) and Dave (Zac Efron) place an online ad to find the perfect dates (Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza) for their sister’s Hawaiian wedding. Hoping for a wild getaway, the boys instead find themselves outsmarted and out-partied by the uncontrollable duo.

With a foursome like Kendrick, Efron, Devine and Plaza, it’s sure to be a hoot.  Seen the trailer?  I’d say this is a two-margarita screening for sheer WOOT WOOT value, but perhaps the movie itself will be funky enough…  Passes!  Now!

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2017 Halloween ComicFest titles announced! Zombie Tramp! Black Eyed Kids! Afterlife With Archie! MOAR!

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Denise

Halloween ComicFest 2016 bannerIt’s the moooost wonderful tiiiiiime of the yeeear… No, not right now.  I’m talking Halloween!  Ghoulies, ghosties, long-legged beasties, and free comics!  That’s right, Halloween ComicFest has announced the freebies for their yearly giveaway – this year it’s on October 29th, 2016 – and they’re looking pretty sweet.

My personal faves?  Well, obviously the titles I’ve listed above (ZOMG Archie – yipee!) But Wraithborn, Haunted Mansion, Tomie, Evil Dead 2, the amazing Ghastly Award-winning Harrow County, and is that Darth Vader Doctor Aphra?  Yes.  Yes it is.  There’s even a Carpenter mini-comic, which really stokes me, as last year’s Tales for a Halloween Night also won a Ghastly.  Can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store for ComicFest!

Pony pals take note: there wasn’t a MLP freebie last Halloween.  But they’re making up for it this year with My Little Pony: The Haunted Dungeon!  I.  Cannot.  WAIT.

Never fear; there’s plenty for the little one’s too; My Little Pony is just the tip of the kiddie iceburg.   Read on for the full deets!

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“Central Intelligence” – fun, embarrassing and goofy. Just like high school.

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Denise

Central Intelligence onesheet

Nutshell: Hart and Johnson make a great team in Central Intelligence, a film that focuses on the funny and puts the serious business of espionage on the back burner.  That’s a good thing; here, it’s the connection (real or perceived) between the two characters that drives the film.  That, and some wicked-cool dance moves.  A bit too implausible at times, even for a comedy, and there’s a sense of missed connection with these characters..  But the unflinching look at how your experiences in high school can shape who you become grounds the film.  Grade: B

Ever wonder what you could have been after high school?  Or maybe you’re wondering what life will hold for you once you switch that tassel from right to left?  Well, you may not be as badass as Dwayne Johnson’s superspy Bob Stone, but you probably didn’t go through his particular high school hell either.  (At least I hope you didn’t.)  Bob, who in high school was overweight, awkward, and so became the class pariah, grew up and bulked up.  Twenty years later, he seeks out “his only friend” from high school, 1996’s BMOC Calvin “Golden Jet” Joyner (Kevin Hart).  Why?  Because Calvin was kind to Bob when Bob needed him the most.  Of course, there’s a hidden agenda; Bob knows that Calvin is an amazing accountant, and needs Calvin’s help cracking some files. Meanwhile, Calvin, who feels he hit his peak in high school and went downhill from there, is less than thrilled at the possibility of getting in deep with a possible rogue CIA agent.  Yep.  Seems Bob may be trying to pull one over on Calvin so Bob can sell out the good ol’ U.S. of A.  Cue the buddy comedy! Continue reading →

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“Finding Dory” – adorable in and out of the sea

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Denise

finding dory onesheet

Nutshell: Finding Dory is a little bit crazier, a little bit goofier, and maybe even a little more heavy-handed than its predecessor. But it’s still got its heart in the right place, and plenty of positive messages mixed in with the fun. Kids will love it, and adults will find themselves LOL’ing right along with them. Grade: A-

What’s it like to lose your family?  Well, Finding Nemo gave kids of all ages a peek at what that’s like, without all of the Bambi heartbreak. Oscar-winner Andrew Stanton (Wall*E, Finding Nemo) delivers another gorgeous look at how important our connections with others are in this world with Finding Dory.  Is it as good as WALL*E or Finding Nemo?  Well, WALL*E is one of my all-time favorite films, so that’s a pretty high bar to clear.  So why don’t I just say that Finding Dory is a fun bit of slapstick rolled around a sweet center of love, family and friendship.  Plus, there’s some killer animation here. * Continue reading →

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TrailerWatch: “Almost Christmas” warms you up for the holidays

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Denise

Almost Christmas 2016 onesheetChristmas in July!  No, that’s not what happens when the a/c goes on a bender…though I do enjoy the cool even though I need to scrape the frost off the cat.  I’m talking about Almost Christmas, an ensemble comedy that’s hitting theaters this fall, and looks like a nice pre-holiday warmup.  Or, one of those “hey, my family’s not so bad” kinda deals.  Synopsis!

A new comedy from writer/director David E. Talbert (Baggage Claim) and producer Will Packer (Ride Along, Think Like a Man series, This Christmas), Almost Christmas tells the festive story of a beloved patriarch who asks his family for one gift this holiday season: to get along. If they can honor that wish and spend five days under the same roof without killing one another, it will be a Christmas miracle.

The all-star cast of Almost Christmas is led by Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover, John Michael Higgins, Romany Malco, Mo’Nique, JB Smoove, Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps, Nicole Ari Parker, Jessie T. Usher and DC Young Fly. http://www.almostchristmasmovie.com

Mo’Nique looks like she is all in with this film, so I can’t wait to see her strut her stuff. Seeing Danny Glover, Gabrille Union and Omar Epps also gives me the happy.

Almost Christmas hits town November 11th, 2016.  Happy birthday-eve to me!

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: The Secret Life of Pets!

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Denise

The Secret Life of Pets onesheetI’ve been all over this movie since I saw the first trailer.  Okay, so I adore Louis C.K., all things animal related, and animation, so I may be a bit biased.  But The Secret Life of Pets looks like an absolute hoot, though I’m now scared to think about what my two fuzzballs do when I’m not around.  But meanwhile, synopsis!

For their fifth fully-animated feature-film collaboration, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present The Secret Life of Pets, a comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day.

Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts in The Secret Life of Pets, which co-stars Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks.  Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy produce the film directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2), co-directed by Yarrow Cheney and written by Brian Lynch and Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio.

Wanna see it?  Of course you do.  This time I’ve got PDFs for you, and y’all know what to do… Follow me down the page!

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Pony News: BronyCon adds artist Jenn Blake and actress Chiara Zanni to the stable!

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Denise

BronyCon Blake Zanni announcmentBronyCon 5 just keeps getting better and better – now Jenn Blake (comic book artist and “The Return of Queen Chrysalis” sketchcards maestro) and Chiara Zanni (aka the voice of Daring Do/A.K. Yearling) are coming!

Can’t wait to get to Baltimare?  Me neither.  And man, I hope at least some of these awesome actors and creators head out to the Brony Bar Trot… What?  I like ponies.  I like drinking adult beverages.  I like pony themed adult beverages.  Win-win-win.

Read on for more information, straight from the ponies at BronyCon!
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Cirque du Soleil’s “TORUK – The First Flight” is a delight for all ages

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Denise

TorukNewLogo_Body_2015

Nutshell: TORUK, like the film Avatar that inspired it, is literally and figuratively fantastic. High art meets accessible storytelling in a production that astounds and exhilarates.  Catch it if you can. Grade: A

I know.  Believe me, I know.  When someone typically says “for all ages”, that usually means “you can bring your kids to this”.  Or, more often, “this is actually for the kiddies, but adults probably won’t want to kill themselves while watching it.”

In the case of Cirque du Soleil’s newest production, TORUK – The First Flight, “for all ages” is just that. While kids will mainly marvel at the large-scale puppetry and acrobatics (and probably decide then and there that they want to be Na’vi for Halloween), adults will marvel at the overall spectacle.  Because, quite simply, TORUK is spectacular.

The story is an easy one to follow; thousands of years before “The Sky People” (humans) arrived on Pandora (see: Avatar), the Na’vi faced another threat.  A volcano threatened to erupt, which would destroy the “Tree of Souls”…unless a brave warrior could ride the Toruk and save the tree, and their people.  Ralu and Entu of the Omaticaya Clan head out to try to collect five special items, each item bringing an required ability to the rider. But collecting for of those items will require them to visit four other Na’vi clans, and unite them in their purpose. Can Ralu and Entu complete their task? Um, did you see my picture of that awesome Toruk puppet? Continue reading →

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