In Queue Review – “I’m Your Venus”

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Denise

“But for those who can’t accept me, I guess it’s just because they refuse to see it, and they don’t wanna understand it.”

Genre: Documentaries That Hark Back To Classic Documentaries
Release Date: 2025 (festival circuit 2024)
Where I Watched: Netflix

Gist: In the 1990 film Paris Is Burning, we got a look at the ball culture in New York City. We also got to meet and care about a whole lot of dancers in the scene. But for many of us, Venus Xtravaganza held a special place in our heart. Perhaps that was because she was so tiny and sweet. Perhaps because she was such a talented performer. Or perhaps it was because she was brutally taken from us before the documentary was released. Now, her biological brothers (along with a niece and nephew) look to find her killer.

Gotta say: I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Venus Xtravaganza. She seemed so fearless, so comfortable in her own skin. So freaking talented. As a gal who was born the same year this lady was? I’ll admit I wished I could be more like her back in the day. And I was heartbroken to see that the end of Burning closed with the information that she’d been murdered in a hotel room. Strangled to death and then left under the bed like so much garbage. It was a gut-punch that still hits me. So when Venus came to streaming, I was hesitant to watch. Would I end up even more heartbroken? Would I and other viewers get closure? Well, no, but also kinda.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews, Netflix | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“Yungblud. Are You Ready, Boy?”

Posted on August 24, 2025 by Denise

“The red light goes on, and what the hell have you got?”

Story: Well’p. It’s a documentary. So it’s basically the story of how Dominic Richard Harrison – aka Yungblud – recorded a live version of his 4th studio album, Idols at Hansa Studios, Berlin. It’s also much more than that.

Genre I’d put it in: Deeply Affecting Music Documentaries
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: See Story paragraph above. Because I’m abnormally lazy.

Gotta say: In 2023, my niece Lucie said she bought us tickets to see Yungblud. Mostly because her mom wasn’t feeling the pit. But I was like HELL YEAH BABY I’M IN…who’s Yungblud? After that night, I was a fan. Yungblud (whom I’ll call Dom from now on, to differentiate him from the band in toto) is an incredible songwriter, talented musician, and has some serious pipes on him. But a few years went by, and while I enjoyed the hell out of his three albums (still do), I kinda didn’t think much about the band or Dom, figuring I’d hear something when his next album dropped. And honey? We all did.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews, Music | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

In Queue Review – “Becoming Led Zeppelin”

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Denise

“What could you do? You couldn’t go back to mommy and dad.”

Genre: Rock Documentaries
Release Date: 2025
Where I Watched: Netflix

Gist: We all know that Led Zeppelin is one of the most popular bands of the 1970s. Their importance to music cannot be underestimated. But nowadays it seems their myth is greater than their music. Zeppelin looks to change that. By focusing on their coming together and early years, ending with the release of Led Zeppelin II, we see a fantastically professional set of talented musicians. Fancy that.

Gotta say: As someone who was in elementary and middle school at the height of Led Zeppelin’s power, all I remember is overly long slow dances to “Stairway To Heaven”, and a bunch of long-haired dudes whose faces I couldn’t really see performing absolute bangers that hit me in a way the majority of music at the time did not. (It was their blending of genres, something that at the time I could feel, but not understand.) Zeppelin scrubs away all the blinding starpower of the group, focusing on how these musicians came together and became stadium legends.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Weapons” – unique, unsettling, unusual

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Denise

“What the fuck was THAT?”

Story: In Maybrook, Pennsylvania, an entire classroom of children disappeared one night. Okay fine, so it was 2:17am. And okay fine, there was one child who remained. For their third-grade teacher Justine Gandy, it’s a mystery to be solved. For Archer Graff, he’ll move heaven and earth to find his son. And for many others in the town? It’s…well. It’s something. But nobody seems to know what.

Genre I’d put it in: Slow Burn Wild Ride Horrors
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Original, but you’ll notice ideas that echo other films, like Children of the Damned, Rashomon, Longlegs, and The Witch.

Gotta say: The vague marketing campaign of Weapons had me thinking about the similar styles of PR used in films like Longlegs and Nope. So yeah, I was itching to check this one out. I needed to know. And now that I’m home from the multiplex? Well, I’m still kinda stumped. But in a good way.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

In Queue Review – “Clown in a Cornfield”

Posted on August 12, 2025 by Denise

“Oh god it’s bad – it’s so bad girl.”

Gist: In rural Kettle Springs, Missouri, Quinn and her physician dad come to town, looking to start fresh after Quinn’s mother died. The town seems to be a bit too into their yearly Founder’s Day celebration, and when Quinn’s newfound friends decide to liven things up? Well, apparently the town/old corn syrup factory’s mascot Frendo doesn’t take kindly to ridicule. At. All.

Genre: Small Town Tradition Killers
Release Date: 2025
Where I Watched: Shudder/AMC+

Gotta say: Oh man do I love Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. I watch it a few times a year. I’ve got the poster hanging in my house. Seriously, it’s a fave. So when I heard that Eli Craig – the director of Tucker – was helming this film? I could not wait. And, well, it’s okay. It’ll do when you want something new to watch.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“The Naked Gun” (2025) – silly fun is back on the menu

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Denise

“Who’s gonna arrest me, another cop?” (Damn. That’s almost too accurate for laughs.)

Story: Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. is on a brand new case; a bank robbery that saw the theft of an extremely important Plot Device. So Frank – and his trusty cup of coffee – decide to find out whodunnit, no matter what his Chief says. Oh, and across town, there’s a dead guy in a self-driving car, and his sister wants answers. One thing you’ll surely come to understand; don’t call Lt. Drebin Jr. Shirley.

Genre I’d put it in: Respectable Reboots
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: A sequel/restart of the original The Naked Gun series of films, and the Police Squad TV show.

Gotta say: I’ve never seen any of the original Gun movies. Sure, I’ve seen clips, but I never sat down and watched the films themselves. Feels good to share this soul-baring honesty with you. I considered binging the film series last weekend before I hit the screening, I really did. But then I decided I’d walk in with no prior knowledge, like many of the Gen-Z folks may be doing. [NO I WASN’T LAZY, MOM.] And y’know what? It was silly, stupid, juvenile, and refreshing as hell. So yeah, if you haven’t seen the OG films, or don’t really know much about the whole Naked Gun backstory? You’ll be just fine sinking into this one.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza – “The Naked Gun” (2025)!

Posted on July 19, 2025 by Denise

Let’s see what this remake has in store… Synopsis!

Only one man has the particular set of skills… to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) follows in his father’s footsteps in THE NAKED GUN, directed by Akiva Schaffer (Saturday Night Live, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) and from producer Seth MacFarlane (Ted, Family Guy). Joining the case are cast Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, with Danny Huston.

Ready? Let’s go!

Continue reading →
Posted in Free Screenings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Jurassic World: Rebirth” – Stupid. Fun.

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Denise

“Nobody cares about these animals anymore.” [*I* LOVE YOU DOLORES]

Story: Seventeen years after a tragic accident that devastated the research island for Jurassic Park, the “Neo-Jurassic Era” has become passé. But as the dinos die out in most areas of the world, there are still uses for the living beasts who reside around the equator. Medical uses. Ka-ching! So when hotshot businessman Martin Krebs throws money at paleontologist Henry Loomis, “covert operative” Zora Bennett, and her team? Well, blood samples from the three largest bois out there sounds like a bad idea; let’s grab the boat! Meanwhile, a family decides to sail too close to the area. Will they all meet the Mosasaurus? Of course they will. And that’s just for starters.

Genre I’d put it in: Sequels With A Lower Budget Feel But Are Still Fun
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Part of the whole Jurassic Park *waves hands around vaguely* thing.

Gotta say: In psychology and economics, there’s a little thing called the Sunk Cost Fallacy. It’s when you believe you should stick with something simply because you’ve already invested so much time in it. Book series, that painting you began in lockdown and haven’t touched since, that relationship/friendship/familial entanglement, your money pit of a condo. Stick with it, even if it’s no longer serving you. A few folks asked me if I was hitting Rebirth simply for this reason, as I’d seen all the other Jurassic films. And sure, that was part of it.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza – “SMURFS”!

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Denise

Ready to get Smurfy? Synopsis!

When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (voiced by Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe.

Ready? Let’s go!

Continue reading →
Posted in Free Screenings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Movie Review – “28 Years Later”

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Denise

“Run, Jimmy! RUN!”

Story: On Lindisfarne Island, Northumberland, a group of survivors of the Rage Virus seem to live as regular an existence as anyone in post-apocalyptic Great Britain can. 12-year-old Spike is set to visit the mainland, in order to move to adulthood…even though that’s a rite typically saved for 14 and 15 year olds. His dad Jamie goes with him, understanding that if they’re not back in four hours, they’re stuck on the mainland until the next low tide. Well, let’s just say they’re stuck there. What’s that noise? And that smoke?

Genre I’d put it in: Post-apocalyptic Infected-NOT-ZOMBIES-YOU-GUUUUUYS [lighten up, Francis.] Sequels
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Third film in the 28 Days Later series.

Gotta say: I’ve been trying to keep my expectations low for this sequel. Which has been pretty tough, considering we’ve got Danny Boyle back in the director’s chair and Alex Garland on writing duties after sitting out Weeks (though Garland did do some rewrites on the second film.) I was wondering how these two would move out from the typical run-run-run storyline most zombie films stick to, and what themes they’d focus on in this third film. And Years not only finds it’s own message, but delivers one hell of a gut-punch.

Continue reading →
Posted in Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment