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Showing posts from December, 2020

Wild Mountain Thyme (2020) Is Just Plain Wonky

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Going by social media reviews and hype, it seemed like director and writer John Patrick Shanley’s latest film was a perfect runner-up to a crazy it’s-so-bad-it’s-good hit like the notorious Cats . If you hear a flick is bad enough you got to check it out for yourself – almost as a litmus test of how much pain you can put yourself through. While Wild Mountain Thyme doesn't feature floating-heads-on-cat-bodies, it does get a Serenity for sheer wonkiness. Out in the Irish countryside, Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt) has had the hots for her next door neighbor Anthony Reilly (Jamie Dornan) since they were kids. The problem is he’s never made a move. His lack of romantic interests is so disheartening his father Tony Reilly (Christopher Walken) threatens to sell their farm to an American nephew (Jon Hamm) instead of his own son. This review contains spoilers…

Velcro: The Egg Hunters by Chris Widdop

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Four books ago, I was introduced to the world of Velcro: The Ninja Kat by Chris Widdop . His anthropomorphize world of animals using magic and the ensuing conflict of corruption was a real treat to start reading. Now, his series is  coming to a close with the fifth book Velcro: The Egg Hunters – which he gave me a copy of in exchange for a review. Following Tails Mask's widespread fiery attack that had brought an abrupt end to the Polluted War, the world has fallen into chaos. And in the ensuing confusion, many key players have gone mysteriously missing, including the villainous Tails Mask, as well as our hero, Velcro the Ninja Kat herself.  Having now seen just how powerful and dangerous Magic can be in the wrong hands, war has once more been reinvigorated, as a new military faction known as the Phoenix Corps has arisen with the express task of eradicating all remaining Magicians the globe over, and have set their sights on those harboring solace in the Country of Rath. And...

Deep In Vogue (2019) Gives a Front Row Seat to Voguing

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Inclusive spaces where LGBTQ+ and people of color can fully express themselves are an increasing rarity. Yet in pockets of club scenes and houses around the U.S. and the UK, vogue ballrooms continue to offer an exceptional underground beacon of hope and a lifeline. Taking a dive into a radical revolution of diversity and self-expression, Deep In Vogue explores the origins of voguing and peeks behind-the-scenes of the Manchester and Liverpool based houses as they prepare for their ICONS Vogue Ball.

Billie (2020) offers a riveting look at the jazz icon

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In 1971, high school teacher and journalist Linda Lipnak Kuehl set out to write a biography of iconic singer Billie Holiday. After spending the next eight years collecting over 200 hours of rare interviews, Kuehl's work went released until now. Billie  adapts her unfinished book to showcase an inexplicable thread between two women across racial barriers. Similar to Marilyn Monroe or Judy Garland, Holiday's legacy sometimes outshines her humanity. As much as she's known as an incomparable talent, her reputation remains complicated for the challenges she endured.  Holiday sang as if she survived every sorrow the world could throw at her. Her graceful voice was a part of her survival as she sang heartbreaking anti-lynching anthems that also highlighted inequalities of the time. While the documentary's main story runs linear from her upbringing until her death, it dives into what makes Holiday a formidable figure today. Kuehl was more than willing to ask tough questions abo...