Awesome Con was, in fact, awesome.

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Denise

AwesomeCon Logo 2015I won’t lie.  I decided to go to Awesome Con because a whole bunch of my friends were going.  And yes, I’d jump off that cliff.  Thanks for asking.

I feared that it’d be the same ol’ thing I can get at Baltimore Comic-Con, or a slew of other near(ish) cons I attend yearly.  But I found myself really enjoying myself.  Why?  One word: PANELS.  This con gave me something I hadn’t experienced in quite a while; the opportunity to see several stars of the same show discussing…stuff.  And that was a blast.  I love it when  creators come together to chat and answer questions, so seeing folks from Supernatural, LOTR and Once Upon A Time was a treat.  A treat I didn’t think I’d want, as I was spoiled rotten subjected to much Disney stuff as a child, thanks to an Aunt who did their PR.  (If I still had even 10% of the swag she’d routinely deposit on my kitchen table, I’d probably be Queen of Disney History.  Or at least the dumpy handmaiden in the back.)

Highlights?

* COUNT GOR DE VOL!  He was my Saturday night horror hero back in DC, when he did the weekly Creature Feature on Channel 20.  (He’s now online with his show, and it’s still as groovy.)  Seeing him in the flesh was a bucket list item I never thought I’d get the chance to come close to.  Plus, he was a fantastic moderator for…

* Queens of Darkness: Kristin Bauer (Maleficient), Merrin Dungey (Ursula) and Victoria Smurfit (Cruella de Vil) were gracious, full of behind-the-scenes tidbits, and funny as hell.  Who knew that Colin O’Donoghue would sing “All About That Bass” in-between takes, or that it takes a certain walk to deal with tentacles?  Plus, Bauer thinks Pam could take Maleficient in a grudge match.  I believe her.

* Mark Pellegrino: a tie for my favorite panel.  He talked about acting methods (his?  Meisner.) and was super nice to all the rabid fans, including the shippers.  Yes, I said he was cool with the shipping. Best moment?  When someone asked what he’d do (rather, what Lucifer would do) if he/Lucifer came back to Earth, Mark said he’d love that, “just so I can kick Crowley’s ass!”  Win.

* Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival: Spooky Movie came to the con armed with short films, screeners and Q&A’s.  It was a lovely apéritif for their own Fest, but there was so much scary that a horror fan could fill his/her weekend with SM creepiness.  I sat in on a few short film compliations, and saw (again) my beloved Count.  Huzzah!

* The Slayerettes: there’s always a ton of stuff going on down in the Merch Hall of Despair and Wallet Damnation, but my favorites have to be The Slayerettes.  It’s not often that I get to wallow in one of my all-time favorite fandoms — that’d be Buffy the Vampire Slayer, naturally — and these ladies were knowledgeable and fun.  Plus, I got interviewed!  We’ll see if my squeaky voice makes it to an actual podcast, but being able to swoon over my favorite characters (Giles = hotness, Willow = Best Scooby) was a ton of fun.

But what was it like, seeing all the famousness in one place?  Honestly, it was kinda like Famous Person Zoo; I could walk by and see folks, freaking out when necessary.  (Bonus: never getting to their tables means I never embarassed myself in front of anyone I admire. Woot!)  And no, I couldn’t make the Doctor Who, BtVS or George Takei panels.  Why?  Waaaaaay too much to do!  Perhaps next year…hint hint, people.

So, here’s a slideshow of what I saw at Awesome Con.  I’ll be back, oh yes.  And next time, I’ll cosplay something that requires a jacket.  Because they really crank the A/C, and I’m not a White Walker.  Yet…

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Movie Review: San Andreas

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Denise

san andreas onesheet

Nutshell: The feel-good disaster movie of the summer! Low on blood and onscreen human decimation, this is a disaster flick that you can take your grandmother (or grandkids) to. Does that make it dull? Nup; the CGI is the best I’ve ever seen in the genre. Fun popcorn fare that dispenses with plausibility and delivers a sweet (but strangely truncated) happy ending. Welcome, summer! Grade: B

Didn’t get enough crumbling famous places when you saw 2012?  Felt that Independence Day was a little too believable, or perhaps that Into The Storm focused too much on character development?  Then have I got a film for you; Dwayne “Can People Stop Calling Me ‘The Rock’ Already?” Johnson stars as Ray, an LA search-and-rescue chopper pilot who finds himself in the air when the big Cali earthquake everyone jokes about finally hits.  So naturally, he rescues his soon-to-be-ex wife Emma (Carla Gugino) and hightails it to San Fran to rescue their college-age daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario). Who, bee-tee-dubs, has pal’d up with a love interest guy named Ben, who is at Daniel’s building in the hopes of landing a job, and Ben’s adorable younger brother Ollie.  (Points for casting Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries cast member Hugo Johnstone-Burt as Ben.  Man that’s a great show.)

Meanwhile, CalTech earthquake expert Lawrence (Paul Giamatti) tries to get the word out that the quake that just devastated LA is just the beginning.  Will all these characters live to see another day?  Of course!  This is a happy jazz-hands disaster film, there’s no need to worry.

Well, there is a death or two.  A movie that harkens back to the “good guys live/bad guys die” films has to have a baddie.  Here it’s poor Ioan Gruffudd, who plays Daniel, Emma’s new beau.  Because in Hollywood as soon as the final divorce papers hit, a woman immediately moves in with a rich, handsome dude.  Who also ends up being kind of a douche, which feels out of place considering he’s supposed to be a guy that cares about Emma and Blake…but I guess I missed his character arc in the 7 minutes of total screentime he gets.  There’s also the old standby “Person Who Was In The Wrong Place At The Wrong Time That Will Propel A Lead Character Into Being Heroic Or Something”.  This time it’s Lawrence’s Grad Student/fellow professor/who knows because we’re never told Dr. Kim Park (Will Yun Lee).  Pity, as I’ve enjoyed Lee in Hawaii Five-O and True Blood.  Oh well.  Needs must.  And no, I haven’t spoiled these characters for you, as you’ll see their ends coming from a mile away.  Maybe from 20 miles away.  Seriously, the subplots here are obvious as hell.

So yes, the screenplay is as much of a wreck as the leftovers of San Fransisco at the end of the film.  But the earnestness of the actors –  and the incredible CGI devastation all around them – almost washed away the questions I had about why characters that met five seconds earlier suddenly Care So Very Much about each other, how a marriage that took years to dissolve suddenly patches up in two minutes, and what’ll happen when these characters are back home watching Hulu again.  Almost.

All wobbly bits aside, San Andreas is a visually breathtaking film.  What it lacks in character development or coherency it more than makes up for in sheer spectacle.  From the CGI (which looks as though every single FX company in the world took part) to the editing (from sound to film, it’s all on fleek) to the incredibly detailed set decoration/art direction, San Andreas is as believable as a disaster film can be when it comes to the aftermath of sheer destruction.  Whipsmart direction by Brad Peyton makes scenes crackle, thanks to jump-cuts, zooms and a judicious use of 3D.  If you’re going to head out to a disaster movie, you’re gonna want to see the sky tumblin’ down.  Peyton gives it to you in spades.  And then throws in more.  Cue the tsunami!

If you’re into disaster flicks and don’t care about more than watching faux Mother Nature run amok, this film won’t disappoint.  If you’d like some believable characters and situations?  You’re outta luck.  But damn if you won’t be entertained either way.  In the end, some may remember San Andreas as the film where Dwayne Johnson plays a DILF.  Others may remember it as yet another film that takes a tectonic shift-sized dump on California.  But for me, it’s the film where Paul Giamatti says “sweet, bro“.  I’ll cherish that.

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Dope!

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Denise

Dope onesheetYes, that I’m doing a Pass-palooza is definitely dope.  But it’s a giveaway for the film Dope.  Cool, right?  What’s the film about?  Glad you asked…

A critical hit and audience favorite out of the Sundance Film Festival, in DOPE, Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself.

I’ve seen the trailer, and gotta admit I’m interested.  If you are too, read on to see how you can score passes! Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Entourage!

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Denise

entourageCome see the…it’s gonna be…okay fine I’ll say it.  I’ve never seen a single episode of this show.  Ever.  However, I’ve heard something about Aquaman being bandied about.  And I loved Adrian Grenier – and his hair – in Drive Me Crazy (I DON’T JUDGE YOU) so I put Entourage in the category of cool shows.  But this movie has been getting a huge buzz from the original series’ fan base, so let’s do this thing y’all!  Synopsis?  Got one:

“Entourage,” the much-anticipated big-screen version of the award-winning hit HBO series, reunites the show’s original cast, led by Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Jeremy Piven. Movie star Vincent Chase (Grenier), together with his boys, Eric (Connolly), Turtle (Ferrara) and Johnny (Dillon), are back…and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold (Piven).  Some of their ambitions have changed, but the bond between them remains strong as they navigate the capricious and often cutthroat world of Hollywood.

Passes?  Got those too.  Read on… Continue reading →

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Book Review: Heather Herrman, Consumption

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Denise

Consumption cover

Nutshell: Believe the hype; Consumption is straight-up horror that echoes King, Koontz and Hill. Gory but not gross, and a page-turner once the first few chapters click into place. Required reading for horror fans. Get to it. Grade: A-

“For fans of Stephen King” is a statement I don’t take lightly.  Okay fine; I scoff at regularly.  But the combination of this tease plus the promise of a possession/small town takeover storyline intrigued me, so I took the bait.  And I enjoyed the hell out of Consumption.

Brief story?  Okay, it won’t get you anywhere near the depth of the plot but here goes.  A couple who are thisclose to the end of their relationship head to a new place to try to start over, but get sidelined by a busted car.  A young girl who hopes to shake her father out of the darkness that came after her mother’s death.  A young man who hopes for something more while being hemmed in by circumstance.  A sheriff that misses his ex-wife and young daughter.  And an old man who has the secret history of a small town written in a battered journal.  These folks and others find themselves in a small town with a crazy history that is coming around again.  And that thing that’s coming around again?  It’s hungry.

Herrman blends multiple storylines with ease, and gets you to feel for these characters.  No small trick with a Salem’s Lot sized cast of characters that all have their particular interaction with the thing that’s taking over their town.  I had a chilly thrill trying to figure out who would come out unscathed — if anyone would — and who would succumb.  With hints and red herrings thrown in for good measure, it’s not always easy to figure out, even for seasoned horrorhounds like me.  But what would be the real fun in that if it were?

Truth be told, I wavered during the first few chapters.  The characters were a bit too mysterious, their plans and back-stories too vague.  It felt as if the characters themselves were shaking me, saying “hey, we could be one thing, or the other!  And you don’t know us yet, so why care?”  But less than a tenth of the way in (I’m a sucker for Kindle’s percentage-meter), I was hooked.  Herrman’s ability to take the usual character cliches and twist them, combined well with the twists and thrills of her plot.  Add just enough gore to keep things interesting, and Consumption became less a simple read and more a page-turner I couldn’t put down ’til I’d finished it.

This book being scheduled to hit stores just in time for the summer beach season is kismet.  It’s just the chill-inducer horror fans will eat up in these hot, humid months.  Hopefully that’s the only scary thing they’ll be eating.

 

[Random House/Hydra, 2015.  I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  I received nothing for my review beyond the copy of the book.  Not even a blueberry muffin.  Probably for the best.]

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Off the Shelf — Batman Detective Comics Volume 6: Icarus

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Denise

Batman Detective 6 coverNutshell:  Think of this as Law & Order: Gotham Division. Batman heads out to squash the bad guys that have killed someone who was trying to make Gotham a better place.  Gritty art gives it a suitable Noir feel, but I wanted characters that were around for more than a twitch. Still, an engaging and quick story arc that doesn’t demand much of you, mythology-wise.  That’s a good thing, for n00bs as well as fans looking for a quick-n-dirty. Grade: B+

Best Lines:
“Subtle isn’t in Gotham’s DNA.”
“The skies are clearing.” ‘That’s ’cause we’re not in Gotham anymore.’

Goodies: Variant cover gallery.

Story:  Annie “The Eagle” Aguila — Motocross champ.  Her mom Elena partners with Bruce Wayne to develop Gotham’s notorious East End Waterfront into a place where the disadvantaged can go for “free medical clinics, a drug treatment facility and education centers.”  I’m sure nobody will have a problem with that.  Sike! Elena burns to death internally on Bruce Wayne’s doorstep, a reaction to the street drug Icarus.  But how’d she come into contact with it, and why?

Thoughts:
So what’s the difference between Batman and Batman Detective Comics?  Well this series focuses on Batman as detective, rather than the sweeping arcs that you see in other titles.  There’s still a connection to the overall story — in the case of Icarus, Bruce is mourning the loss of Damian (from Batman, Inc.) — but Detective Comics are smaller arcs.  More easily digestible, if you will.  Think of Detective as a string of miniseries, and the other titles as a long-running soap opera.  Sometimes literally, but hey.

Think of this as “Noir Batman”. No, not the Dark Knight; Bruce Wayne may be putting on his gumshoes here, but he’s not quite the brooding mess he can be sometimes. It’s more like a look at Batman the brain, rather than Batman the butt-kicker (though he does a lot of that here too.) Betcha didn’t know Batman speaks Chinese!  Of course he does. Is there nothing he can’t do? Y’know, besides listen to Alfred.

Detective Bullock — yeah, like the guy in Gotham — is ready to kick ass and take names, and scoop his cats’ litter box.  Fans of Gotham will recognize the Penguin/Falcone feud, and a few other tidbits that have made their way onto the show.  That’s a nice bit of tie-in for the casual-readers but loyal TV watchers (even though these subplots have been in the comics for quite awhile now.)

Though I enjoyed reading this arc — I do so love a good stand-alone tale — I have to admit that I’d have enjoyed it more if the victim and a few of the other baddies were fleshed out a bit more.  Elena seems like an incredibly good do-gooder, but she’s trotted out, and then cut down.  And a few of the baddies seem like they’d be interesting and worthy adversaries (at least in this no-supervillains-need-apply story), but it’s as if the arc needs to wrap up quickly, and they get nabbed double-quick.  I wouldn’t have minded another issue or two, to let these bad guys foam at the mouth a bit more.  Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato don’t run out of things to say, they simply tidy up before I’d really gotten enough out of the story. BTW, the art by these two is suitably gritty and raw.  No wonder the story and art work so well together; they’re doing ’em both.

Icharus: Chaos Theory — the last issue of this TPB is the Annual #3, and it looks at the story from a different view.  But the last panel (Spoiler: with the last page showing Elena Aguila welcoming Aden to the Aguila Family Shelter, when she died in the main arc???) threw me for a loop.

NERD ALERT (and another spoiler): though I loved Batman’s tussle with Gertrude the giant squid, my ichthyology nerd brain cried out that Batman would never be able to survive the kind of deep-sea pressure a giant squid would require, even if anyone would be able to capture and house a giant squid in captivity.  Ahem.  Anyway.  Just had to vent a bit.  Better now.

Publication 411: Collects issues #30-34 and Detective Comics Annual #3. Hits shelves May 26th, 2015.

Subscribe or Shelve: folks who love the idea of following The Bat, but can’t hang with an every-Wednesday love affair can dip into an arc or two of Batman Detective Comics and still enjoy the show.  You may miss a beat here and there — storylines from the more substantial series do bleed into this one — but if you’re looking for an easy Bat fix, you can find it here.

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Review in a Flash: Tomorrowland

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Denise

TOMORROWLAND one sheet

Sometimes I’m too lazy for a full-out piece. Sometimes everything I’ve got to say about a film can be summarized in a sentence or two. Sometimes it’s both. So herewith, a quick-n-dirty on Tomorrowland!

Nutshell: Tomorrowland is an interesting film. But not an engaging one. With actors like Clooney and Laurie, and the whole of the Mouse House behind it, I expected more than a bland, yet morally heavyhanded, story. Grade: C

Before: I’m not sure about this film. The trailer looks beautiful, but it’s Disney; of course it’s gonna be gorgeous. However, the story looks like it’s nothing more than “touch a pin, see George Clooney.” Though I’m sure there are a lot of gals who’d love that, I’ma need more. But that’s me I guess; ticked off if I don’t get enough about the film from a trailer, ticked off if they show to much. I’m an enigma wrapped in disgruntlement. Sprinkled with stardust and licorice.

Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: San Andreas!

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Denise

san andreas onesheetC’mon, admit it.  You’re secretly glad you live on the East Coast, because there’s never been a threat of our state crumbling apart and falling into the ocean.  (Of course we’re all in it together with this pollen tsunami though…)

As we sit back in our fantasy of natural disaster superiority, how about enjoying a little CGI shakedown?  Because I’ve got passes for the Baltimore area screening of San Andreas!  Can you smell what the Rock is saving in this film?  ‘Cause here’s a synopsis:

After the infamous San Andreas Fault finally gives, triggering a magnitude 9 earthquake in California, a search and rescue helicopter pilot (Dwayne Johnson) and his estranged wife make their way together from Los Angeles to San Francisco to save their only daughter. But their treacherous journey north is only the beginning.  And when they think the worst may be over…it’s just getting started.

Boom!  In more ways than one.  Gotta admit I’m stoked for this one; y’all know I’m a huge fan of quality destruction ala quality CGI.  And with a story about a megathrust earthquake, this film looks like it’s got both.  Read on for passes!

Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Spy!

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Denise

SpyDo you like your popcorn shaken, not stirred?  Is your shoe actually a phone?  Then you’re just the kinda fan that’s ready for today’s giveaway; screening passes for Spy!  Here’s the synopsis, should you choose to read it…

Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.

Gotta love an “Everyman” storyline, amirite?  Of course I am.  Read on for how to score a pass for you and your own Ms. Moneypenny…

Continue reading →

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5 Stupid Questions for: Wasted

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Denise

wasted-3I love zombie movies. I love silly jokes. And who doesn’t love Grandma’s Boy? So when I heard about a short film (looking to become a longer one) that rolled up all three and lit ’em up, I had to talk to creators Satheesan Nagenthiram, Steve Kasan and Lance Fernandes.  And ask them really stupid questions. Because you could find out all about their film Wasted at their various social media sites. But will you find out what they think about pandas over there?  No.  No, you won’t.  But you will  here.

I saw the short, and liked the mashup of survival cheet-sheet story, zombiness and stoner humor.  The gore is pretty sweet, with a cartoonish excess that I’ve always been a fan of. Think a low-budget Shaun of the Dead, but with more survival tips.  And weed.  Definitely more weed.

Though voting is closed, why not head over to their CineCoup page and check out a few of their vids?  Because I’m sure this gang ain’t finished yet.  And someone’s gotta one-up Pot Zombies…

Here’s a bit of 411 about the project, straight from the stoners themselves:

Wasted is about a group of friends break away from their mundane routines of regular life and have high adventures when the one event they have been waiting for occurs, the Zombie Apocalypse. A hybrid joint of high zombie action, comedy, geek references and plain insanity. It is Scott Pilgrim meets Mad Max.
Follow us on Twitter @Wastedtheshow
On Facebook Wastedshow
Also find more videos here http://www.cinecoup.com/wasted
The Skull & Cross Blunts is us.
No work, No rules and No responsibilities, well, you get Wasted.

And herewith, 5 stupid questions. Take it away, fellas!

1) So, what’s up with Aquaman?
If you’re talking about Momoa Aquaman, I personally love it. I like that they changed everything mainly making Aquaman of Samoan/Maori heritage.

2) If you could be any vegetable you wanted to be, what would you be?  Why?
Tomato because Tomatoes can be in everything. And, if a tomato becomes radioactive it will come to life and kill. It would be, dare I say, an Attack of Killer Tomatoes!!

3) Pandas. Discuss.
They know Kung Fu at least that is what the movies and Jack Black tells me.

4) Is Winter really coming?
Yes. In Canada we only have two seasons Construction and Winter. But, I really hope Winter is coming otherwise poor Ned & Rob got beheaded for bullshit.

5) Is it really always 4:20 somewhere?
Yes. Quite true I believe NATO has decreed that somewhere in the world at all times must be obliged and inhaled.

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