Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza (and trivia!): Poltergeist

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Denise

poltergeist 2015

UPDATE: WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN.  Thanks to everyone who played — there were some fantastic answers!  All for simply clicking on the “31 in 31” tab at the top of the home page.  😉

Time to get spooky, y’all.  It’s the remake of the classic (and brilliant) Poltergeist, and it’s bringing the clowns to us all.  Why’d it have to be clowns?  They’re evil.  It is known.

Here’s the synopsis, in case you’re wondering:

Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi (“Spiderman,” “Evil Dead”, “The Grudge”) and director Gil Kenan (“Monster House”) contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces.  When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and hold the youngest daughter captive, the family must come together to rescue her before she disappears forever.

Will this be a shot-for-shot like the Psycho remake, or will it go off on its own, ala 2005’s House of Wax?  Only one way to find out, and I’ma give you a chance to make that decision early.  I’ve got PDF’s, and I’m gonna make it rain y’all!  Though hopefully not like it did in Poltergeist.  And because we’re not dealing with a simple link, I’m going trivia crazy again…
Continue reading →

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Age of Ultron delivers the destruction

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Denise

age-of-ultron-poster

Nutshell: More aptly titled The Avengers: Battle of Helm’s Deep, this nonstop action-packed thrillfest will get fans of bam-pow totally stoked, while others may wish they could take a breather every now and then.  Would have liked more on Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, but getting to know Hawkeye, Black Widow and Bruce a bit better was a fine substitute.  Grade: B+

It’s here!  The new Avengers movie we’ve been waiting for ever since the post-credit scene during the original movie!  Hooray?  Absolutely.  In Age of Ultron, Tony Stark decides to attempt to better his Artificial Intelligence work.  “I see a suit of armor around the world…peace in our time.”  But his creation — Ultron (voiced/motion-captured  by James Spader) — has other ideas.  Seems Ultron has decided that since the earth has “evolved” many times in its history, it’s time to do it again…but this time, without the pesky humans disturbing the peace.  Meanwhile at HYDRA, our not-so-favorite band of Big Bads are working with Mutants Inhumans “enhanced” humans, including a super-fast guy (Quicksilver, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his psychically powered twin sis (Scarlet Witch, Elizabeth Olsen).  When Ultron tries to upgrade his hardware by replacing it with softer stuff (read: more android, less heavy metal), things start to really get interesting.  Especially for Tony’s father-figure-cum-computer-program-butler JARVIS (voiced by Paul Bettany).  Enter: Vision! Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Hot Pursuit!

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Denise

Hot Pursuit onesheetThe weather’s warm, so why not a little more heat? I’ve got passes for the Baltimore area screening of Hot Pursuit. What’s that? Here you go:

From New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures comes the comedy “Hot Pursuit,” starring Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon (“Walk the Line,” “Wild”) and Sofía Vergara (“Chef,” TV’s “Modern Family”), under the direction of Anne Fletcher (“The Proposal”).

In “Hot Pursuit,” an uptight and by-the-book cop (Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas, pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.

I absolutely love Sofía — her brand of uninhibited comedy is crazy good.  And gotta love Reese; dying to see her in what sounds like a re-visit to her buttoned-up straight man Election persona.  So, you in or what? Continue reading →

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Frank Miller returns to Gotham with “The Dark Knight III: The Master Race”!

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Denise

HOLY BLIP. Seems Frank Miller is ready to make a trilogy out of  his Dark Knight saga (The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again) by adding The Dark Knight III: The Master Race.  According to DC:

Miller will be joined by acclaimed writer Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS, JOKER, and WONDER WOMAN) on the eight-issue comic book periodical, to be published twice a month under the DC Comics imprint.  Marking the 30th anniversary of THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS original series, this periodical is slated for publication beginning in late Fall 2015…. Artists for the project have yet to be announced.

I’ve loved Miller’s work on Batman, so I’m eager to see what he’ll bring to the table this time.  And, of course, who’ll do the honors on pencils, colors, inks, letters…  Thanks to DC Comics and The Mary Sue for the heads-up!

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Off the Shelf — Batman Vol. 6: Graveyard Shift

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Denise

Batman Graveyard Shift cover

Nutshell: A great series of stand-alone stories that are hamstringed by a strange shuffle of continuity, and my inability to connect issues with stories.  Could be my bad, but this TPB doesn’t make it easy either.  N00bs, be prepared to pull your hair out if you’re an order snob like me.  Or just give in and sink into the stories, enjoing each one separately.  Grade: B

Publication 411:  Collects Batman #0, #18-20, #28, #34 and Batman Annual #2.  Hits stores May 5, 2015.

Best Line: “You came here looking for the ‘kingpin of crime’… well here I am.”

Thoughs: Okay first things first; I am not a decades-long reader of The Bat.  I’d pick up the occasional TPB, fall in love with a few (The Long Halloween, The Killing Joke, and Batman: Arkham Asylum immediately spring to mind) but not read ’em on the regular.  But when DC did its New 52 reboot, I figured now was the time to jump into a few of the series titles I’d always wanted to get to know/get back into.  Therefore, as a relative n00b, I’m not gonna dissect continuity minutae, or touch on any possibilities of SORAS or other chronology questions because they make my brain cry. Those points can/will be discussed by better minds than mine, and if you’re this deep into the New 52 that you’re up to Graveyard Shift, you’re down with the new program. This review be from the vantage point of one who digs a good story well told, and loves her some cool art. I am, however, gonna drop spoiler bombs for anyone who hasn’t been in on Batman Vols 1-5.  I figure if you’re reading a review for Volume 6?  You know enough already, or you don’t mind the spoilers.  Onward!

The Batman Night of Owls storyline was totally kickass.  The way it pulled in so many Batman, Inc. folks, so many talented writers and artists…it’s the kinda thing that makes my heart go a-pitterpat. So I was hooked on the Batman series after that.  And I haven’t been disappointed.  Am I disappointed now?  Well, no…and yes.  No, because each one of the stories here in Graveyard Shift are amazing.  The kind of stories you’d force non-comic readers to sit down with to see what the $&*# they’re missing.  And yes, because the order of issues in this volume is kattywampus, and I spent many a moment (or hundred) trying to figure out which issue linked with which storyline.  I finally gave up and decided to simply go with the titles they give in the TPB. [NOTE: I’ve finally decided to link a few.  But any fubar is my fault…with a little “assist” from Comic Book Reader.] So let’s have a look at what’s inside, shall we?

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Mystery & Mayhem: Ali Brandon, Literally Murder

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Denise
(Parts of this taken as a blurb over at my Goodreads page)

Literally Murder

Nutshell: Literally Murder fits in nicely with the rest of the Black Cat Bookshop series, though the change of venue from the bookshop to Florida left me pining for the usual gang. All-in-all it was worth it to see Darla and Hamlet deepen their friendship. Grade: B+

I really do enjoy a good “cozies” series.  And this one is a whole lot of fun.  No magic cats, or cats that can speak (not that those are necessarily bad things); simply a woman and her Scooby Gang that manage to suss out whodunnit.  Oh yeah, and a cat that always seems to have just the right book-related clue. I’d have reviewed the earlier books in this series, but honestly?  I read ’em all pretty quickly.  So here goes with Book 4 of the series…

Basic 411 Alert: Darla Pettibone is a Texas gal who inherits her aunt Dee’s Brooklyn bookshop.  Along with the store, she also inherits manager stuffy/sweet/loyal intellectual James, lower apartment renter/retired cop Jake (short for Jaqueline), and black cat/panther wannabe Hamlet.  Hamlet seems to be able to understand what’s going on around him, sometimes better than his human compatriots.  His ability to “thunk” a book off the shelf — one that always has some tie-in to the case at hand — is as spot-on as his ability to determine someone’s quality of character.  As the series progresses (Double-Booked For Death, A Novel Way to Die, Words With Fiends), Darla bonds not only with Hamlet, but with those around her.

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: Far From The Maddening Crowd

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Denise

Far From onesheetTGIF!  Thank Goodness It’s Free (Screenings)!  Today it’s for the film based on Thomas Hardy’s novel, Far From The Maddening Crowd.  Here’s the synopsis:

Based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD is the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan), who attracts three very different suitors:  Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching willfulness; Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge), a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), a prosperous and mature bachelor.  This timeless story of Bathsheba’s choices and passions explores the nature of relationships and love – as well as the human ability to overcome hardships through resilience and perseverance.

Read on for how to get yourself a pass!

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TrailerWatch: Dear M. Night, please let The Visit be good.

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Denise

Oh M. Night.  You try so hard.  Or you hardly try; I’m kinda having a tough time determining which is which.  But M. Night, you still have a whole lot to answer for, after the terrible crapfests called After Earth and The Happening.  I’m not a hater though.  Devil surprised me, because I figured you’d torpedoed your talent.  But it gave good creep.  Heck, I liked The Village, and even tolerated Lady in the Water.

I have a feeling The Visit is gonna be one of those possession storylines, where good ol’ YiaYia and Papou are looking for a younger generation to swap to. Cut to momma picking up “her kids”, and them smiling as the old house fades in the rearview.  End scene.  What?  If I’ve ruined your “super secret twist ending”, sorry.  But really dude, get it together, please.  And perhaps next time?  Jettison the hackneyed “Found Footage” look, and stick with straight-up storytelling.  And please, DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN ANY MORE MOVIES.  You’re a director, not an actor.  Pop in like Hitch if you must, but no more casting yourself.  You obviously can’t multitask right now.

This trailer is kinda good though. And I do love me some Katheryn Hahn.  Please prove my distrust of your abilities wrong.  Please prove me completely wrong.  Please.

Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series) welcome you to Universal Pictures’ The Visit. Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip. Once the children discover that the elderly couple is involved in something deeply disturbing, they see their chances of getting back home are growing smaller every day. Shyamalan produces The Visit through his Blinding Edge Pictures, while Blum produces through his Blumhouse Productions alongside Marc Bienstock (Quarantine 2: Terminal). Steven Schneider (Insidious) and Ashwin Rajan (Devil) executive produce the thriller. http://www.stayinyourroom.com

Genres: Thriller
Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, Ed Oxenbould, Olivia DeJonge
Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan
Produced By: M. Night Shyamalan, Jason Blum, Marc Bienstock
Executive Produced By: Steven Schneider, Ashwin Rajan

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BronyCon Announces: Discord (John de Lancie)!

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Denise

BronyCon_2015-Guest_Announcement-John_de_Lancie-Press_Release

Discord’s coming! DISCORD’S COMING!

That’s right, everypony — John de Lancie is headed to BronyCon! Not only do I love me some Discord, but I adored de Lancie as Q in Star Trek.  So totally pumped for this!

I can’t think straight. So just read the press release already!  (And dig the awesome BronyCon art above — I heart that so hard.)

***

Press Release

BronyCon

bronycon.org

pr@bronycon.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 23, 2015

BRONYCON ANNOUNCES ACTOR JOHN DE LANCIE

(BALTIMORE)—BronyCon hopes to bring a little chaos to the Baltimore Convention Center this Summer by bringing the voice of Discord, John de Lancie, to its Aug. 7-9 event!

De Lancie is an American actor, producer, musician and writer that many of you will recognize largely as the prominent villain-turned-friend Discord from “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.”

Outside of MLP, other major roles by de Lancie include Q in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: Voyager,” Colonel Frank Simmons in “Stargate SG-1” and Donald Margolis in “Breaking Bad.”

These are just a few of de Lancie’s credits in his extensive career in theater and film arts, so be sure to visit BronyCon’s guest page to learn more about him and other guests coming to Baltimore this Summer!

To register for this event, visit BronyCon’s registration page. Badges for BronyCon will cost more at the door, so don’t wait! Also make sure you are following BronyCon on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Google+ to be the first to hear our latest announcements.

About BronyCon:  Based in Baltimore, Md., BronyCon is the premiere convention for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fans of all ages. Last year’s event drew more than 9,600 attendees from all seven continents. This year’s event, scheduled for Aug. 7-9, 2015 at the Baltimore Convention Center, is expected to trump that figure. The convention features special guests, diverse programming and a multi-night music festival. For more information, check out bronycon.org.

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Elsewhere Review: Age of Adaline

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Denise
As always, clicky for the original piece!

Age of Adaline really touched me. Perhaps because it had its heart in the right place, and didn’t shy away from the problems someone would have hiding the fact that s/he doesn’t age as the decades go by.  Soppy, and a bit of a rehash of the usual navel-gazing about never growing old?  Yes.  But I liked it.  You can thank the killer performances, and the focus on characters living with these big questions rather than the big questions themselves.  And I really want Adaline’s wardrobe.  All of it.

TwitView: Age of Adaline

age of adaline onesheet

A sweet film about a scared lady who never aged past 29.  Decades later she finds true love, but will she go for it?  Kinda soppy (as you’d expect), but all in good romantic-fantasy fun.  Beautiful set design and costuming, and touching performances from Blake Lively, Ellen Burstyn, and Harrison Ford. Grade: B+

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