New images from “Bad Moms”: looking pretty good

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Denise

Bad Moms sounds like a dudebro buddy film, but with da laydeez.  But the cast – which includes Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kristen Bell – sounds like a great ensemble.  So I read the synopsis, and I can get behind this.  Synopsis!

Amy Mitchell (MILA KUNIS, Black Swan) puts her family first, second, and third. But her man-child husband, high-maintenance kids and idiot boss are taking a toll. She gives and gives, and gives and gives, and then gives a little more, but it’s never enough. When the alpha moms (CHRISTINA APPLEGATE, Anchorman; ANNIE MUMOLO, Bridesmaids and JADA PINKETT SMITH, Magic Mike XXL) at her kids’ school push her too far, Amy finally snaps. Good Amy becomes Bad Amy really fast — and she doesn’t go alone. Teaming up with two other misfit moms (KATHRYN HAHN, Transparent; KRISTEN BELL, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Amy gets a jolt of freedom that shakes up her life and might even make her a better mom. So call a sitter, put on your comfy pants, and pour yourself a double Chardonnay, because these moms are about to get bad.

Girl, I got my comfy pants.  Looking forward to seeing what the trailer will have in store.  But for now, peep these two images. Bad Moms hits theaters July 29th, 2016.

BAD MOMS image 1 BAD MOMS image 2

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Stills from “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” show DeHaan and Delevingne fighting…Cylons?

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Denise

valerian onesheetA Cylon Centurion from BSG, that is.  Well, that’s what the  K-Tron Warrior reminds me of.  Maybe it’s just the chrome.  But Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets has more than a mouthful of a title, it’s got a kickass director in Luc Besson.  Here’s the 411 from Wikipedia:

 Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Valérian et la Cité des mille planètes in French) is an upcoming English-language French science fiction film written and directed by Luc Besson. The film is based on the French science fiction comics series Valérian and Laureline, written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières. It stars Dane DeHaan as Valérian and Cara Delevingne as Laureline. The film is scheduled for release on July 21, 2017.

Set in the 28th century, the film’s central plot involves two spatio-temporal agents who travel the universe through space and time to protect the interests of the human species. They perform all kinds of tasks: space rescues, interplanetary exploration, diplomacy and galactic aliens negotiations. But one particular rule must be respected: never change the course of events.

Looks like Delevingne is getting into some really groovy genre stuff, with Pan last year, Suicide Squad hitting theaters soon, and this film coming next year.  Of course, DeHaan has his on genre credits, especially Chronicle and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Valerian also stars John Goodman, Ethan Hawke, Clive Owen, Herbie Hancock, Rhianna and Rutger Hauer.  I’m kinda digging the all-over-the-place casting.  With Besson, that’s sure to be a cool ride.  I hope. Hey, I just want something as cool as Besson’s The Fifth Element.  I’m sure I won’t get it (that film was lightning in bottle y’all) but until Valerian hits, it’s all hope and finger-crossing.

So peep these first stills from the film, and lemme know what you think!

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: The Jungle Book (2016)!

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Denise

JUNGLE BOOK one sheetHey there folks!  Who doesn’t love animals?  Well, haters.  But let’s not think about them.  What’s better than animals?  Talking animals, that’s what!  No, I’m not off my meds.  But thank you for asking.  I appreciate your concern.

No, I’m talking about The Jungle Book, where a young boy gets to grow up alongside animals that talk to him.  So cool, right?  Well, there’s a new, live-action (okay, live & CGI) version hitting theaters soon.  And I have passes to the Baltimore area screening. Yaaaay!  Fine.  Idris Elba is in this.  No, that’s not my only reason for wanting to see this.  Synopsis!

Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.

The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world. The wild adventure swings into theaters in 3D on April 15, 2016.

I posted the pics of Disney’s photo shoot with the voice cast over on AFan’s Facebook page, and it looks like the cast is all-in.  Are you?  Right this way then… Continue reading →

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Short Film, Short Review: Test

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Denise
Who wants to read a review that’s longer than the film?  Nobody, that’s who.  So here’s my take on a short film that will get you primed to see it, or prepped to pass on it. Herewith, Test!

test short film onesheet“Come.”

We, as human beings, love puzzles.  We try to figure ’em out, look for meaning in their mystery.  With Test, writer/director Jay Lifton leaves you to draw your own conclusions.  And lemme tell you, that drove me crazy…at first.  Then I thought about it a minute.  Why did not being able to fully understand what was going on upset me so much?  I’ll tell you why; because Test is an intriguing film that drew me in.  I wouldn’t have had such a strong reaction if this film hadn’t touched me in some way.  I can walk away from crap without a second glance, but it’s the stories that pique my interest, make me want to know more, that really affect me.  So bravo, Test.  You passed.

The story is a simple one; a man goes through a series of strange, incomprehensible tests. He’s under the watchful eye of four…supervisors?  Instructors?  It’s tough to fully get it, but as the film progresses it’s understood that the people he interacts with are the ones in charge.  (Though while I was watching the film, I thought the man, simply called “Subject” on IMDb, could possibly be the one who was administering the tests, and the others were simply reacting to him.  Could go either way if I really thought about it.)

At 10 minutes, Test manages to build a  eerie sense of foreboding while deepening the mystery of the Subject and the employees.  If this is a low-budget short, (hey, I’m used to low-budget shorts, so that’s my go-to thought) it certainly doesn’t feel like it.  Lighting, set design and cinematography are all top-notch.  Test has been shown in a whole lot of cool-kid film festivals, and with good reason; while you may not walk out of the theater knowing exactly what just happened, you’ll definitely find yourself nodding in approval at the intimate sense of dread this story managed to pull out of you in such a brief period of time.

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza – Barbershop: The Next Cut!

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Denise

BARBERSHOP one sheet smallOkay folks — ready for the newest installment of the Barbershop series?  Oh yeah baby.  Synopsis!

It’s been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop.  Calvin (Ice Cube) and his longtime crew, including Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer), are still there, but the shop has undergone some major changes.  Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed.  The ladies bring their own flavor, drama and gossip to the shop challenging the fellas at every turn.  Despite the good times and camaraderie within the shop, the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come together to not only save the shop, but their neighborhood.

C’mon; Barbershop was a trip.  And I’m sure this will be too.  Did you check the trailer?  Okay then.  Right this way… Continue reading →

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Short Film, Short Review: Trouser Snake!

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Denise

Trouser Snake short film onesheet

Who wants to read a review that’s longer than the film?  Nobody, that’s who.  So here’s my take on a short film that will get you primed to see it, or prepped to pass on it.  Onward, to Trouser Snake!

“You didn’t get the shaft on this one, Thomas.”

Gotta admit the title had me intrigued.  And I was ready to get a whole lot of giggling done, I won’t lie.  Trouser Snake definitely has a fun, spoofy look to it, but would this short pay off? People, for a no-budget horror short film, I’m impressed.  Is it the best thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life?  Um, this is a short horror film, it’s not supposed to be cinema.  It’s supposed to be fun, and it sure is.  Playfully ridiculous, Trouser Snake is something horror fans can sink their…teeth into. Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Everybody Wants Some!!

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Denise

everybody wants some onesheetYes, this post’s title can sum up everyone’s feelings.  But it’s doing double duty, as the title of today’s free screening film is indeed Everybody Wants Some!!  (and yes, those exclamation marks are part of the title.)  Synopsis!

A “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused set in the world of 1980 college life, Everybody Wants Some is a comedy that follows a group of friends as they navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood. Get ready for the best weekend ever.

Check out the trailer: http://www.everybodywantssomemovie.com/
#EverybodyWantsSome

Spiritual sequel to one of my favorite movies?  Okay, y’all best come correct.  Only one way to find out though; ready for passes to see for ourselves?

Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: The Huntsman: Winter’s War!

Posted on March 27, 2016 by Denise

Huntsman Winters War onesheetReady to dive back into winter?  Or at least back into the multiplex?  I’ve got passes for the sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, The Huntsman: Winter’s War!  Synopsis!

Discover the story that came before Snow White in The Huntsman: Winter’s War.  Chris Hemsworth and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron return to their roles from Snow White and the Huntsman, joined by Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain.

Theron stars as evil Queen Ravenna, who betrays her good sister Freya (Blunt) with an unforgivable act, freezing Freya’s heart to love and unleashing in her an icy power she never knew she possessed.  Retreating to a kingdom far to the north, Freya raises an army of Huntsmen as her protectors, with the only rule that no two of them should ever fall in love.

As a war for domination escalates between the two queens, the hero standing between them is Freya’s most elite Huntsman, Eric (Hemsworth).  Alongside fellow warrior Sara (Chastain)—the only woman who has ever captured his heart—Eric must help Freya vanquish her sister…or Ravenna’s wickedness will rule for eternity.

Ooh!  Passes?  Right this way…

Continue reading →

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Free Comic Book Day & Comic-Con HQ gives you a free sneak-peak of their VOD service starting May 7th

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Denise

fcbd cchqWho doesn’t love Free Comic Book Day?  Who doesn’t love San Diego Comic-Con?  Well, if you hop to it (get it; bunnies, Springtime, hop…oh FINE) you can get access to the brand-new live-streaming Video On Demand of Comic-Con HQ Beta, which will debut on May 7th.  The free beta will run from May 7th through July 25th, including the streaming of San Diego Comic-Con.  So don’t worry if you can’t swing the airfare, missed the lottery, or any other reason SDCC ain’t on your agenda this year.  Just sign up and sit tight.  And I’m betting this stream will be a better view than the usual “got in line late so we’re at the back of Hall H” view…

Oh, and bee-tee-dub; Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie) and Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans) have designed this year’s FCBD t-shirts.  Just putting that out there. Read on for more info straight from HQ/FCBD! Continue reading →

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Happy Easter from “The Secret Life of Pets”!

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Denise

The Secret Life of Pets onesheetAww.  Gotta love it when the animals we love get all ready for the holidays.  The pets in The Secret Life of Pets are no different.  Remember Christmas?  Yeah.  Kawaii city, amirite?  Well, here they are again for Easter…and with Snowball the rabbit in charge, you know it’ll be just as festive.  Or something.  Here’s the 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 Steve Coogan, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Jenny Slate 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. http://www.thesecretlifeofpets.com

The Secret Life of Pets hits theaters on July 8th, 2016.  Happy Licorice Jellybean Day!

 

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