Goodreads Review – “His Banana”

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Denise
Yeah, sometimes I’ll just rip a review straight off of what I wrote over at Goodreads. It happens. From my Goodreads account:

Interesting double entendre of a premise, but the first several chapters paints Natasha as a self absorbed willful idiot. Luckily things start to change, and it becomes a fun story once Natasha stops being insufferable.

The author has a great way with dialogue, but leaves gaps in the story… What happened with Charlie the bulldog? Did he get healthier? Do they still have him? Does Chelsea adore him? The poor pup drops out of the narrative. Harumph.

The Big Bads in the story are wrapped up a little too easily; letting Nat use her investigative skill for at least one of them would have been a more interesting wrap up. But we only get by-the-way brush offs in the he said/she said epilogues.

Banana isn’t tasty enough to tempt me into the rest of the series, though the sexy times have a nice level of heat. File this one under enjoyable rainy day Kindle Unlimited reads.

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Baltimore DRIVE-IN Pass-palooza: “Do the Right Thing” & “Get Out”!

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Denise

What a great double feature! And it’s part of Amazon Studios “A Night at the Drive-In” screening program celebrating multicultural voices! Can’t lose, unless you don’t show…

This coming Wednesday the theme is “Movies to Open Your Eyes”, and DEEEEAM these two are amazing. You’ve probably seen them before, but have you seen them on a gigantic drive-in screen? Then let’s go!

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The 2020 Hugo Award winners have been announced!

Posted on August 1, 2020 by Denise

Congratulations to the 2020 winners of the Hugo Awards! It’s an amazing crop of winners this year, from N. K. Jemsin’s “Emergency Skin” to the fantastic comic series “LaGuardia”, The Good Place, The Expanse, and of course the always incredible Ellen Datlow!

Read on for the full list, and check out some (or all, not judging) of the winners – you’re sure to have a good time!

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In Queue Review – “Radioactive”

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Denise

This story of Marie Curie blends biopic with fictional clips of how radium has affected the world, both good (radiation therapy) and ill (Hiroshima, Chernobyl). While the clips are interesting and pulled at my curiosity, Radioactive would have been a more powerful biopic without them. But I guess the producers thought a story about a woman scientist wouldn’t be intriguing enough on it’s own. I think it would.

As Marie, Rosamund Pike delivers an incredible performance, and it’s always wonderful to see Anya Taylor-Joy onscreen (as the 18 year old Irene Curie).

Come for the amazing performances, stay for the beautiful art direction, and a look at late 19th/early 20th century science, and a woman who led the charge.

Available for steaming on Amazon Prime.

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“Raining Tacos” by Parry Gripp & BooneBum is your new bop

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Denise

Big ol’ THANK YOU to my amazing friend Brooke, who shared this with me, so I share this with you. Be warned – it’s an absolute earworm!

Yes, this vid is at least seven years old. But it’s new to me!

Mmmm, tacos.

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TrailerWatch – Debra Winger teaches Evan Rachel Wood how to be a “Kajillionaire”!

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Denise

Who couldn’t use a laugh right now? Well, I’ve got a peek at a comedy coming our way… Synopsis!

From acclaimed writer/director Miranda July comes a profoundly moving and wildly original comedy. Con-artists Theresa (Debra Winger) and Robert (Richard Jenkins) have spent 26 years training their only daughter, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), to swindle, scam, and steal at every opportunity. During a desperate, hastily conceived heist, they charm a stranger (Gina Rodriguez) into joining their next scam, only to have their entire world turned upside down.

Kajillionaire hits theaters September 18th, 2020.

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Con news – Tomorrow! #SDCCAtHome2020! Guillermo del Toro & Scott Cooper on ANTLERS and Filmmaking!

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Denise

Have you been mainlining Comic-Con@Home? Me too! From The New Mutants to Deep Blue Sea 3, Latin American horror and Afro Futurism, there lots to enjoy this weekend, and the great thing? You can watch later if you miss one… Always a problem for me, as I end up loving several panels scheduled at the same time.

But make room in your streaming schedule for tomorrow’s 4pm EST panel, because it’s bound to be a good time. Antlers – the film by Guillermo del Toro and based on the chilling short story “The Quiet Boy” by Nick Antosca – gets the panel treatment… And I’m betting we’ll get to see a sneak peek at the film! I’ll try not to get too stoked, but I’m stoked.

Antlers hits theaters February 19th, 2021. Check out the image for more information!

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TrailerWatch – “Bill & Ted Face the Music”! Excellent!

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Denise

Ready to shred your air guitar and get wild with Wyld Stallyns? Because here’s the new trailer for Bill & Ted! Synopsis!

The stakes are higher than ever for the time-traveling exploits of William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. and Theodore “Ted” Logan. Yet to fulfill their rock and roll destiny, the now middle aged best friends set out on a new adventure when a visitor from the future warns them that only their song can save life as we know it. Along the way, they will be helped by their daughters, a new batch of historical figures, and a few music legends – to seek the song that will set their world right and bring harmony in the universe.

Bill & Ted Face the Music comes to On Demand – and hits theaters – September 1, 2020!

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TrailerWatch – Isaac Asimov’s beloved book series gets a high budget adaptation in Apple TV+’s “Foundation”

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Denise

Can’t wait to see some cool Sci-fi adaptations? SAME. But til we get that shiny new Dune film, how about a look at a cool series coming at us? Synopsis!

Based on the award winning novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire.

The trailer looks absolutely gorgeous. That beautifully detailed set design! The cast includes great performers, including Chernobyl‘s Jared Harris, Pushing Daisies‘ Lee Pace, and How to Get Away With Murder‘s (and everyone’s favorite Dean Thomas) Alfred Enoch .

Foundation comes to Apple TV+ next year.

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In Queue Review – “Go Back to China”

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Denise

Anna Akana – whom I adore from her “I Have Six Cats” vid – stars in this sweet and quirky fish-out-of-water story of a trust fund gal who has to go to work for her dad or get cut off permanently. Based on the real life of writer/director Emily Ting, China was the bittersweet feel good story I really needed right now.

As the story unfolds, we see a number of members in her oft-grafted family tree, but these characters get meaningful subplots that flesh out their backstories. And while the film starts out as a riff on spindthrifts, it gets serious about family dynamics and corporate life, giving this story depth.

Come for the “poor little rich girl” comedy, stay for the honest, open-hearted look at China and its people.

Available for rent/purchase on Vudu, Fandango Now, Prime, and AppleTV.

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