Off the Shelf: Zachariah Thorn #1

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Denise

Zachariah Thorn 1

Nutshell:  Sometimes the best intentions and the coolest concepts get a bit muddy.  It often happens when a new series tries to take flight.  Thorn is one of those muddy intros, but if you can get past the Scooby-Doo-head-cocking this issue serves up time and again, Reichert and Seriosa look to have a promising story in the works. I hope they actually start coaxing it out in issue #2.  Grade: C+

Story:  Zachariah Thorn dispatches demons and other nasties.  Apparently he’s got some friends that help him out too, I guess?  But otherwise the story is a bit of a jumble held together by a fascinating idea.

Best Line:  “Kneel before me, you toothy bitch!”

Thoughts: Pretty sweet cover — Zack looks like Constantine and Buffy’s love child. In other words, pretty cool.  However, this first issue suffers from a heaping helping of knowledge overload on the part of the creators.  They know what’s going on, they know the backstory; they’ve created it and talked it to death amongst themselves.  So when the first few pages go from a musical nightmare to a tête-à-boobies with…a water nymph?  Sprite?  Ghost?  Well, I wondered if there was an issue #0 I neglected to read before I dug into this one.  Actually, Thorn #1 feels like I’ve missed an issue or three. “And what of the Rusalka?” Wait — what’s a Rulsalka? Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Love the Coopers!

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Denise

love the coopers onesheetWell, it’s officially post-Halloween now.  Time to (tearfully) put away all those skeletons, witches and vampire fangs.  Or you could just be like me and keep ’em around until Veteran’s Day.  Hey, speaking of that particular holiday, how about passes to a film that’s showing the day before the holiday?  Hello extended bedtimes!  That’ll make us all feel better about bidding Halloween adieu, right?  Plus, Love the Coopers deals with another holiday; Christmas.  Yep, it’s gettin’ there y’all.  Synopsis!

Love the Coopers follows the Cooper clan as four generations of extended family come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration.  As the evening unfolds, a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday.

Sounds like a Santy-Claus version of Love, Actually or New Year’s Eve.  Wanna check it out?  Of course you do.  Right this way… Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Spectre!

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Denise

Spectre Onesheet sept 4Happy Halloween, boo-ys and ghouls!  And in the spirit (ahem) of the season, why not bring something ghostly into the mix?  In fact, there’s something downright Spectre-al around here….  Synopsis!

A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal.  Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organization known as SPECTRE.

Meanwhile back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), the new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of SPECTRE. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot.

As Bond ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks, played by Christoph Waltz.

The speculation on who the villain really is here — is Christoph Waltz really infamous cat-fancier/Dr. Evil forerunner Ernst Stavro Blofeld? — has got a lot of 007 fans chomping at the bit.  Me?  I just want to see what happened after all the boom-pow of Skyfall.  You too?  Well, right this way… Continue reading →

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#31in31: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Denise

31 in 31 logo

Happy Halloween everybody!  We’ve made it through another 31 days of scary (and scary bad) stuff…and to finish things off, here’s a much-buzzed movie about a skateboarding vampire.  No, really.

oct 31 a girl walks home“Are you a good boy?”

Story: Douchebag drug dealer pimp behaves badly. A young man’s father has a drug habit that’s draining their finances. A woman is sick of prostituting herself and longs for something better.  Meanwhile, a young girl walks alone in the dark…but she’s not human. Spoiler alert!

Scares: Few.  This is a noir-ish mood piece rather than a straight-up scarefest.

Splat factor: Almost non-existent. Okay, somebody gets his finger bitten off. But otherwise nada. Plus, the movie is filmed in black-n-white, so even when there is a bit of the red stuff, it’s muted.

Closing scene “shocker”?: Nope.

Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Save for the vampire lore, completely original.

Trick or Treat?:  “Moody and atmospheric” are descriptives tossed around too easily nowadays. But they’re definitely true here. Ana Lily Amirpour’s film is an intriguing look at how vampire mythology blends into worlds beyond Twilight and True Blood. Yes, this film takes its time getting from plot point to plot point, and there are times when the story seems to stop and reset. But with this look into the lives of people struggling to get by day-to-day, and how a vampire comes into their worlds, it’s the focus on the characters that drives this narrative, not the dialogue.  Continue reading →

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TrailerWatch: documentary “Horror Icon: Inside Michael’s Mask” with Tony Moran

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Denise

Horror Icon Inside the MaskWhat’s it like to be a horror icon? Well, Horror Icon: Inside Michael’s Mask lets you in on that.  Though it’s not slated for release ’til 2016, they’ve got a teaser trailer up that shows the Michael Myers everyone knows from the first Halloween films…or at least Tony Moran, the guy that played him.  Seriously, you probably don’t want to meet Michael.  Do you?  Oh, okay. Do you.

This teaser is a bit abrupt; I had to double-check to make sure I hadn’t jumped into the middle of it.  I’m hoping future trailers will give an intro before diving in.  Though I guess this film is made for horror and horror-convention fans, so no intro is necessary for them.  Fans will definitely see many of their favorites as they wax poetic about Moran.  Even this under-a-minute tidbit has Halloween‘s P.J. Soles, Sleepaway Camp‘s Felissa Rose, Troma Films icon Debbie Rochon, and more, not to mention the man himself.  Peep the trailer for yourself, and then read on for the full press release!


Continue reading →

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#31in31: Maddox and Beistel’s “The Horror Show”

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Denise

31 in 31 logo

And now for a spooky tale… Since this is a comic book, I’ll go with my usual Off The Shelf system.  Enjoy!
Oct 23 The Horror Show

Nutshell: Back in 2013 I wished for more than 17 pages of this story. They delivered.  And I couldn’t be more horrified happier.  Gore, groovy mythology, and even a touch of gravitas, all in a slim 78 pages.  If this is how Maddox and Beistel deliver the goods, I wanna chain them in my basement and have them crank out more hair-raising, terrific tales.  That’s legal, right?  Grade: A

Story: Ever head to a cabin in the woods with your BFF?  Well, make sure said friend knows you’re not up for surprises…and better see if he’s up for one too.  Or the whole thing’ll go to hell.

Best Line(s):  “You’re not a monster?”  “No, I’m an actor.”
Continue reading →

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Elsewhere Review: Our Brand is Crisis

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Denise
As always, clicky for the original piece!

Review: Our Brand is Crisis

October 30, 2015 by

our brand is crisisBullock and Thornton have great frenemy chemistry as competing political stragegists in Bolivia, and the setting and story are captivating.  But the plot feels random, with some hits and some near misses when it comes to connecting with the audience.  Then there’s the “Blond White American Chick Saves Bolivia” ending, complete with slow-mo walking and Bullock’s temp-blond mane blowing beautifully in the breeze.

Not to say that Crisis doesn’t have anything to say.  There are some serious topics here, including how far someone should go to win, and the consequences of one’s actions.  Add in a no-foolin’ look at the political instability of Bolivia, and the idea that perhaps US spin-doctors shouldn’t try to stir things up just for a buck.  But Crisis skims over these ideas, as if showing an unhappy, rioting mob is enough to get the feel of what’s really going on down there.
Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: The Peanuts Movie!

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Denise

peanuts movieReady for Halloweekend?  Well, how about something to do after you’ve binged on candy this Saturday?  Passes to a screening, maybe?  Grab the kids and come check out The Peanuts Movie, because I’ve got passes y’all.  Synopsis!

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” gang make their big-screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state of the art 3D animation. Charlie Brown, the world’s most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day.

It’s not Halloween without a little Charlie Brown… Continue reading →

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#31in31: Tales of Halloween

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Denise

31 in 31 logo

oct 29 tales of halloween“What’s the big deal? It’s just a bunch of pumpkins.”

Story: TEN stories of Halloween gone wrong…or could that be gloriously right?

Scares: Not really.  The stories are too short to really wind you up, and most are simply played for bloody fun.

Splat factor: For bloody fun, there must be blood.  And you’ll see quite a bit here.  Including internal organs and random body parts/missing parts.

Closing scene “shocker”?: Nope.  Anthologies typically wrap everything up, and this one’s no exception.

Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: These stories are original, though the horror anthology is an oldie but goody.

Trick or Treat?:  This ain’t no Trick r’ Treat, but then what is?  Still, Tales has Adrienn Barbeau as a DJ!  Holy The Fog, Batman!  In fact, genre fans will get a kick out of the slew o’ cameos here, which include Stuart Gordon, Barbara Crampton, Mick Garris, John Landis, Joe Dante, and a damn near unrecognizable Barry Bostwick (hint: he’s got horns).  Tales has a postscript that says this film is in memory of Ben Woolf (American Horror Story), who plays a very cool trick-or-treater in story #No Spoilers Darling.  A sweet tribute to a performer who always gave it his all.

Like Trick r’ Treat, you’ll see characters in Tales from one story in the background of others, and there’s even a police station where everyone is dealing with the after-effects of these strange happenings.  Here’s a breakdown of each story: Continue reading →

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Movie Review: Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Denise

Scouts Guide onesheet

Two guys in search of an epic party that’s sure to give them an in with the high school in crowd.  Sound familiar?  Well, toss in some zombies and short pants, and you’ve got yourself Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.  And while Scouts may not be Superbad, it’s not bad; in fact, if you’re down for crude humor this movie is pretty damn good.  The gore level is pretty respectable for the genre — let’s face it, it’d better be with quality carnage on basic cable nowadays — and the lead characters have just enough of an arc to keep them from being cardboard cutouts.  And who doesn’t love Cloris Leachman?  Grade: B

First things first; this ain’t the Boy Scouts.  This is a rando, made-up scouting group called the American Scout Society.  But damn if they don’t look like BSA, complete with merit badges, silly all-ages uniforms, and an overly-cheerful goody-goody scout leader.  But Troop 264 – all three of them – is about to get a real dose of survival skills training when a local bio lab janitor inadvertently releases a zombie into gen pop.  Unfortunately, two thirds of the troop is thisclose to quitting Scouts.  “Junior year is when all the girls become sluts!”  It’s up to Ben (the cool one), Carter (the crazy one) and Augie (the dedicated one) to get their act together and save the world.  Or at least their town of Deer Field, CA.  Now where did their Scout Leader go…?

Continue reading →

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