Columbia Screening Pass-palooza – “Zootopia 2”!

Posted on November 11, 2025 by Denise

Ready to catch up with our favorite bunny and fox duo? Synopsis!

In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia 2,” rookie cops Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan) arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.

Ready? Let’s go!

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In Queue Review – “Frankenstein” (2025)

Posted on November 7, 2025 by Denise

“Only monsters play God, Baron.”

Genre: Exquisitely Recreated Classic Horrors
Release Date: 2025
Where I Watched: Netflix

Gist: After young Victor Frankenstein’s mother dies in childbirth, he swears he will conquer death. Decades later, he’s kicked out of medical school because his experimentation is creepy as hell. But not necessarily impossible. Pity that when he achieves his goal, his narcissistic tendencies get the better of him. Meanwhile, his creature languishes…

Gotta say: Beware. Here there be simping. Damn I’m a simp for this movie, so prepare yourself. Guillermo del Toro has a way with misunderstood monsters, and this Frankenstein is his coup de grâce. Is it heavy handed? Yeah. So much so. Did I care? Nope. Not one little bit. This is going into my Comfort Watch List, and I’m not mad.

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“Nuremberg”

Posted on November 5, 2025 by Denise


“If we could psychologically define evil we could make sure this never happens again.” [Um. About that…]

Story: After the surrender of Germany in WWII, the hunt was on for officers of the Third Reich. As these war criminals were slowly rounded up (well, as many as could be found), the Allied powers asked themselves one question; what do we do with them? Would they simply be executed, Geneva Conventions bedamned? Or would there be a trial? There had never been a trial of one country’s governmental elite by other countries. So they’d have to not only figure out legality, but make sure that if these men and women went to trial, that the guilty would be punished. Douglas Kelley led a group of psychiatrists to find out if the imprisoned were capable of standing trial.

Genre I’d put it in: Historical Docudramas That Feel Way Too Relevant
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Based on the 2013 book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai, and the Nuremberg trials themselves.

Gotta say: I love courtroom dramas. Judgement at Nuremberg is one of my all-time favorite films. (Closely behind the original 12 Angry Men, if anyone needs a pub quiz question about my ass.) While the 1961 film is a classic with a cast of legends – Spencer Tracy! Marlene Dietrich! Montgomery Clift! Judgement felt like a play that unfolded in front of you. With it’s sharp, gritty realism, Nuremberg feels like you’re being pulled into history by force. It’s a powerful film with a powerful message, and it’s one we really need in times like these.

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza – “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t”!

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Denise

Ready for MORE birthday month freebies? Yeah you are, baybeeeee! Synopsis!

The Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher) are back — to unite with a new generation of illusionists (Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt) for their most global, high-stakes magical adventure yet. Their mission: Expose the corruption of Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike), a powerful diamond heiress with ties to arms dealers, traffickers, and warlords. Aided by the legendary Thaddeus (Morgan Freeman), the two generations of magicians must overcome their differences to try and defeat their cunning and dangerous adversary, in this magic-fueled heist filled with the franchise’s signature twists, turns, and thrilling reveals — along with some of the most thrilling illusions ever captured on film.

Ready? Let’s go!

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Columbia Screening Pass-palooza – “The Running Man”(2025)!

Posted on November 3, 2025 by Denise

It’s my birthday month y’all! So lemme give you passes for next week! Synopsis!

In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

Ready? Let’s go!

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#31in31 – ABSTRACT’s “The Horrors of Becoming Lost”

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Denise

I’d like to say I’m posting this because I’m outrageously lazy, and don’t feel like reviewing anything on this High Holy Day of Halloween. And while that’s partly true? The fact is that this is an absolutely incredible series of stories.

ABSTRACT is a YouTube channel that describes itself as “just a gal who likes telling you stories from our strange world.” And these three stories pack a wallop.

These stories, about nature and how it can be unkind, catch you right in the heart, and don’t let go. The first and last are heartbreaking – individuals getting lost in the woods – but it’s the second that had me taking a break before moving on. Two words sum up that story: cave diving.

If you’re looking for something that will break your heart and chill you to the bone in equal measure? Look no further. Play this when you’re alone in the dark or headed to that party you’re off to.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

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#31in31 – “Practical Magic”

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Denise


“I’ve got the best news! Sally just came out!”

Story: Two sisters grow up in a perfect life, with loving aunts and literal magic. But when they get older, they realize the family curse is no joke. But what’s a little curse if you’ve got magic? Well…

Scares: A few chilling moments.
Splat Factor: A dead body. Some SA that gets lightly bloody.

Subgenre: Magical Mayhem
Year Released: 1998
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original on the book of the same name by Alice Hoffman

Trick or Treat?: Yet another film I can’t believe I haven’t written about in a #31in31. Magic is a perfect October watch for viewers who want a story that ties together magic, mayhem, and the bonds of family and sisterhood.

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#31in31 – “The Monkey”

Posted on October 29, 2025 by Denise


“WHO’S SMILING NOW, YOU INFERNAL SON OF A WHOOOOOORE???” [God I love Adam Scott.]

Story: Twin boys, Bill and Hal, find out that their deadbeat dad has a closet full of “weird stuff” he picked up on his travels. Their mom says it’ll be theirs one day…but they can’t wait. So naturally, they pick a weird monkey toy to check out. They wind it up, and it works, kinda. But when their babysitter is brutally killed in a “tragic accident”, it’s the first of quite a few of those kinda things. Twenty-five years later, the boys still can’t seem to get past what happened when they were kids. Even though they got rid of the monkey, their lives are garbage. Wait; or did they get rid of that monkey? What’s that over there?

Scares: Just that creepy-ass monkey.
Splat Factor: Yep. Blood, gore, and insides outside.

Subgenre: Stephen King Shenanigans
Year Released: 2025
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Based on the Stephen King story of the same name.

Trick or Treat?: Osgood Perkins is a strange fish. And I mean that in the very best way. His filmography is filled with odd films that sit with you long after the end credits have rolled. And this one fits nicely between Longlegs, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, and Gretel & Hansel.

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#31in31 – “The Elixir”

Posted on October 28, 2025 by Denise

“Don’t worry about the reason behind all this, what’s important is a solution!”

Story: When the head of Wani Waras herbal treatments tries their new elixir on himself, it works. He’s younger! But those side effects will kill you. You, and anyone unlucky to be in biting distance. But good news – you won’t be down for long. You won’t be alive anymore, but you won’t be down. Success! Now, to let his awful adult children know… Hey, what’s that weird rash?

Scares: Creepy looking zombies. Tense situations.
Splat Factor:  Blood AND guts. But a lot of the blood is black, so it’s not as icky as it could have been.

Subgenre: Untested New “Remedy” = Zombies
Year Released: 2025
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original

Trick or Treat?: No, this is not a sequel to The Substance. It’s more like Succession meets Ziam. Except if their premises vanished less than halfway through, and were replaced by absolutely nothing.

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#31in31 – “Slenderman”

Posted on October 27, 2025 by Denise

“You can’t just give him something you love…”

Story: Four teenage girls who should know better, decide to play around with – and completely believe – the Creepypasta Slenderman story. So in this reality, he comes for them. Ooh, spoopy.

Scares: Of the jump variety
Splat Factor: PG-13. So, nope.

Subgenre: Online Urban Legends
Year Released: 2018
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Based on the online legend of the Slenderman, and the 2014 Slenderman Stabbing.

Trick or Treat?: I knew this would be a garbage fire, so I skipped it for years. But now that it’s on Netflix, and I need another review for #31in31? Boom. Here you go. And yep, it’s as boringly trite as you’d expect.

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