10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) changes the spin-off game

Photo Credit: 10 Cloverfield Lane / Paramount Pictures

Monsters come in many forms. Michelle (Mary Winstead Elizabeth) encounters a series of her own when she wakes up in an underground shelter after a brutal car accident. She's being held hostage by a paranoiac ex-Navy man Howard (John Goodman), who claims he didn't just save her from the horrific wreckage but a hostile enemy invasion. Faced with mind-games within the absurd refuge and the loom of an apocalypse, she is forced to decide whether the person who claims to rescue her is as dangerous as the unidentifiable threats she's protection against.

Hollywood has attempted the innocent-woman-held-captive trope time and time again. A lot of films in the genre merely torture-porn babes and commits to violence for violence's sake to cheap effect. Another go of this type of flick doesn't seem strictly necessary, but producer J.J. Abrams and his team prove it's worth another try. By transforming those worn-out elements, they create a surprising game-changer.

Claustrophobic and engaging, 10 Cloverfield Lane meshes the action of a budding end-of-the-world scenario with psychological teases. The story's atmosphere and Howard's apparent safe haven is full of misdirection and suspense that calls into question: where is safe? what is the truth?

Michelle's fate is challenged in the all the best and terrifying ways. By making her a confident and resourceful heroine, she uses every weapon - both intelligence and with the tools at hand - to challenge her fate. A lot of the film's thrills walks the fine line between her (and another captive Emmett) letting her guard down to accept the truth and staying suspicious because some facts are not what they seem. Played awesomely by Mary Winstead Elizabeth, she is such a kick-ass character in this genre.

Her feat is challenged by an environment that is emotionally and physically confining. Plenty of evidence supports that deadly forces have invaded humankind, which makes it difficult to maneuver whether or not it's even smart or safe to venture outside. The mood is toyed with how Howard's dwelling is like a dream conspiratorial theorists' tiny home. It's completely decked out in not only food, water, and filtered air but fully furnished kitchen, dining room, living room, games, music, and movies. The familiar, even nostalgic, atmosphere is cozy and trusting. But it's all remnants of what life was before and it merely masks the tension in the air.

On top of which, surviving either means playing house with Howard or making an escape - and neither choice seems to be in her definite favor. John Goodman is brilliant as the unhinged survivalist. He is calm and collected with a touch of creepy one second, and then completely enraged the next. His backstory and Michelle's survival greatly navigates between letting your guard down and unpredictable twists. There's a definite sway between acquiescing to rules in order to keep the peace and trying to understand what lurks behind his conspiratorial beliefs.

Like it's predecessor Cloverfield, the story doesn't center on creatures versus humans. This sequel's quest (which also works as a standalone) is much more than facing scary monsters in an apocalypse, but also conquering monsters in human form who have to be endured or defeated in order to survive. Twists sprinkled throughout the film never lets the story rest on a captured woman or cheap violence. With refreshing characters and effective suspense, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a worthy thriller.

Rating: ★★★ Have you seen 10 Cloverfield Lane? What are your thoughts?

11 Best Moments of Glenn Rhee from The Walking Dead

Glenn Rhee captured fans' hearts from the very beginning of The Walking Dead. Over the past six seasons, he's kept us inspired and making us pray to the Powers That Be he wouldn't get killed off. Whether or not the seventh season will cement his comic book fate into television history, I thought now was as good of a time as any to give thanks to Glenn Rhee and Steven Yeun.

The former pizza boy turned wise leader has been there and done that throughout the apocalypse. These are eleven moments of why I personally love Glenn and believe what makes him a fan-favorite. What moments do you think are missing from my list? Feel free to share in the comments below. Hope you enjoy!

Stranger Things Artwork

Happy October! It's so exciting that Halloween is just around the corner. What better way to kick off this spooktacular month than with artwork from the hit series Stranger Things. Inspired by the nostalgic eighties and eclectic characters of Hawkins, Indiana, this collection of artwork hails from every corner of the web, especially the upside-down. Hope you enjoy!

50 Shades Darker Trailer Reaction

Photo Credit: Fifty Shades Darker / Universal Pictures

If anyone warned me almost two years ago my complete disinterest in the 50 Shades series would ever take flight, I wouldn't have believed it all. The 50 Shades Darker has been released. Since it was actually the series' first trailer that started me down this confusing road, it's only fitting we prepare for the next installment with great hesitation and excitement. Sooo, here is my trailer reaction...

Pottermore Releases New Quiz: What's Your Patronus?

As far back as Pottermore's old beta-mode in 2011 for their initial interactive launch, the site has been promised a Patronus quiz for young witches and wizards. Finally, FINALLY, our dreams came true because Pottermore released a Patronus quiz.

Surprisingly, taking the test was a little emotional for me - not almost as emotional for me when I took the Sorting Hat quiz and was literally praying to the powers-that-be I ended up in Gryffindor ('cause I always was sorted in Gryffindor).

Growing up, I always thought of my patronus as my dog Lola, a Jack Russell Terrier. As my best friend who was almost like a therapy dog for me, she was by my side for twelve years (half of my whole life) before passing away last year. She is still a source of so many happy memories, but like many important parts of our pasts, my time with her now has a subsiding grief over a lost companion.

My only other consideration for a Patronus was a duck at one point. Only because one of my hobbies is to swim as much as possible.

It was good a reminder that a Patronus can change over the years, so it wasn't very realistic to have a major attachment to any result. Eventually, I put my big girl Hogwarts robes on and went for it like Harry trying to catch a golden snitch.

This was my result:

I was a little surprised by the quiz, to be honest. At first it tells you to be calm and think of your happiest memory. Which kooky and geeky me made me smile of my dog or swimming or reading. But then the prompts are timed so I have to choose quickly or it will move to the next. I was asked to choose leaf, blade or thorn, hope, trust or love, who or why, sweet or salt, mind, heart or spirit..

My result was a robin. Pottermore doesn't include more info about the kindred animal's meanings, so I dug around. Robins as symbols represent (to people) putting dramas behind them, seeking joy, reveling in a song, and look for new beginnings for growth. A part of me almost wants a hippogriff-like patronus that's a bit of everything: half-dog, half-duck, and half-robin. but a robin suits me too.

What were your results? Are you happy with your Patronus? Feel free to share in the comments below!

FanFest Orlando Charity Rallies for Pulse Victims

Orlando native James Frazier  created an opportunity for fans to engage and support the victims of the tragic attack on the LGBT nightclub Pulse. As the creator of the WalkerStalker cons, he immediately reached out to actors to create a fundraising event FanFest Orlando.

Actors like Stephen Ammell (Arrow), Robin Lord-Taylor (Gotham) and The Walking Dead such as Melissa McBride and Lauren Cohen were in person to sign autographs and be apart of photo ops. The day also offered free panel sessions, merchandise, a cosplay contest, and a charity auction. One hundred percent of the profits raised from ticket sales, autographs, professional photo ops, and vendor sales will be donated to the One Orlando Fund.

Support a good cause for Orlando and have the opportunity to meet stars from my all-time favorite show? Sign me up! It was truly something I couldn't miss!

Wonder Women: Maggie Greene (The Walking Dead)

Guts and blood? Check. Zombies? Check. Andrew Lincoln always looking amazing? Check. Oh yeah, what does The Walking Dead also have: kick-ass women. BOOHYAH.

In the first edition of celebrating women of The Walking Dead, we evaluated two controversial survivors: Lori Grimes and Andrea. I personally love them both and it was fun to dissect how the writing served them in the best and worst ways.

Each character on this show handles surviving the apocalypse differently. What works for one person may not work for another. There may be no better example than the Greene sisters, Maggie and Beth.

In a previous post here I've explored Beth Greene and her underrated layers as a survivor until the fifth season. For this post we're focusing primarily on the elder Maggie, and compare how they were both similar and different in terms of adulting in the apocalypse.

We're going to take a look at how awesome this woman is, and how the flaws and achievements of the writing shapes them. Hope you enjoy!

Galaxy Quest (1999) inspires us to never surrender our fandom

Photo Credit: Galaxy Quest / Dreamworks Pictures

Galaxy Quest is a very clever satire, mixing fans' passion for science-fiction and highlighting the best and corniest aspects of its entertainment with clever homages.

At the height of its popularity, a fictionalized sci-fi soap opera Galaxy Quest was canceled. The riveting cliffhanger involving Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart (Tim Allen) and his crew are left to the imagination of hardcore fans in cult corners and fan conventions. Science fiction proves to be all too real when the dysfunctional cast is greeted by real aliens who misinterpreted their tv show as facts and are calling on them to save their race.

Parodies are a particularly challenging film to pull off. Films like Scary Movie or Epic Movie start off with decent ideas to spotlight inconsistencies and zany cliches but then it's enterprise is warped by absurd and irrelevant jokes. Galaxy Quest, on the other hand, is a totally fun ride notating just how quirky, heartfelt, and bold the genre is while honoring the big role fans play in its success.

Using Star Trek and similar franchises as it's backdrop, the movie latches onto details that a variety of viewers can understand from the most hardcore Trekkies to most general movie goer. The story (even if it has a plot-hole or two the size of a black hole) and the script makes entertaining references everyone has seen at some time- like the suave captain who takes his shirt off for no reason, fans knowing more about a spacecraft's technology than the actual crew, the unaccredited crew member who is doomed to die, the cross-species romance subplot, and so much more.

With all the little nods aside, one of the best ways Galaxy Quest spoofs beloved various series is how the cast resents or embrace the lasting impact of their one hit wonder.

One of my favorites is Sigourney Weaver as Gwen DeMarco, or Lt. Tawny Madison. (The other credited actor is below). Her main role is to repeat every command the computer responds to or gives. She represents the token female character who isn't given much to do except look hot. (Doesn't this sound like a few franchises nowadays?) Despite her lack of agency fans dress up as her to value her inner strength, sure but also question whether the torrid chemistry DeMarco has with Tim Allen's Commander was genuine. When Gwen's mates recognize the ridiculousness of her role, she owns up to it but does it anyway with authority. The movie scoring Sigourney Weaver to portray Gwen takes the movie to another level of meta brilliance.

And there is also Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane. Similar to the "don't want to be recognized only as Luke/Spock' phases Mark Hammill and Leonard Nimoy went through, Dane is entirely over his involvement in the franchise. He can't stomach repeating catch-phrases and making appearances, yet for all the lamenting he does, it is uniquely a part of him; a role he can't even shake off when he's at home. Rickman delivers a wonderful performance, putting his underrated timing and humor to great use.

For a movie that's seventeen years old, Galaxy Quest achieves an impressive feat by being highly aware of how geek culture supports, and nearly rescues, the cast from their own intergalactic demise. To great surprise, upon the film's initial release, it was a hit not only with Star Trek's Trekkies but even actors from the series like George Takei and Patrick Stewart. Even though the landscape of the genre and it's devotees has changed since 1999, the movie stays surprisingly relevant with age.

Beaming up the power of sci-fi and its earthling admirers, the movie was way ahead of its time. Galaxy Quest affectionately celebrates eccentricities within this ever-growing community: the conventions, actors dealing with the pros and cons of a canceled franchise, its tropes, and the fans. It doesn't skewer or point fingers, casting the genre or fans out to be bad or weird. In fact, with comedy, action, and heartfelt respect, it teaches to never give up, never surrender your fandom.
Rating: ★★★ Have you seen Galaxy Quest? What are your thoughts?

My Way-Too-Early 2017 Oscars Predictions

Award show season is just around the corner. With film festivals underway, I thought it'd be fun to dabble in a round of early Oscar picks. This collection is a mix of movies I'm really excited for and ones that are already getting rave reviews. Who do you will be up for nominations next year? Feel free to share in the comments!

Arrival

Amy Adams plays a linguist recruited by the military to make contact with alien spacecrafts landing around the world. Both director Denis Villeneuve and Adams are longtime critic faves but have yet to earn top prizes. With the film becoming a smash-hit at this summer's festivals, Arrival will probably make contact with award show season for Best Picture and Best Actress. If Leonardo DiCaprio can finally snag the big one, so can Adams!

Bill Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

Upon returning home from an Iraq battle, a young soldier Billy Flynn recounts the horrors of what happened during a victory tour. From the visionary director of Life of Pi, director Ang Lee adapts the book which contrasts the reality of war, military members returning home, and a country's patriotic perception of sacrifice. This could easily put newcomer Joe Alwyn on the map and be worthy of another Best Picture nod for Lee.

Certain Women

Director Kelly Reichardt weaves the lives of three women played by Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, and Laura Dern in a small-town. Reichardt is touted as one of America's best yet quietest filmmakers but this could be the work-of-art that gains her 'mainstream' recognition.

Hidden Figures

Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) star as the brains behind one of NASA's historical achievements of launching astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Hidden Figures echoes the warmth and liveliness of The Help by celebrating the women who broke through barriers of gender and race.

Jackie

Like icons Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis is in a special league of historical figures that Hollywood has tried to create biopics of for decades. One of the biggest surprises has been director Pablo Larrain's first English film starring Natalie Portman as the titular character. Many are calling it truly visionary and a biopic worthy of Jackie's story exploring the before and after of her time in the White House. This biopic might actually do her justice.

La La Land

Lala Land is earning rave reviews for best picture and it's leading lady. Director Damien Chazelle of the ruthless Whiplash changes his tune with an old-fashioned musical a la Singing In The Rain to explore a romance between a jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) and aspiring actress (Emma Stone). I love Classic Hollywood, and I'm eager to see Chazelle try to channel modern stars to Tinseltown's retro era.

The Lobster

Similar to Wes Anderson's slow-to-rise hit The Grand Budapest Hotel, director Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster is one of the most polarizing independent films this year. Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz play two of many singles who live at specialty residences and are given forty-five days to find a romantic partner or be turned into an animal. Called everything from artistic, boring, and a weird love story, the movie has been loved or hated across the board. While I was in the middle over The Lobster - didn't love or hate it, I'd just love to see Rachel Weisz nominated for anything, The Lobster, Complete Unknown or The Light Between Oceans.

Lion

Based on Saroo Brierley's memoir A Long Way Home, a young boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta and adopted by an Australian couple, and grows up to find his lost family. The film looks beautifully directed, and I don't know - isn't it about time Dev Patel was shown more love in Hollywood?

A United Kingdom

Set in the 1940s, A United Kingdom recounts the interracial marriage that sparked international controversy when Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana married a white Londoner Ruth Williams. Uniting Oscar nominees David Orweylo and Rosamund Pike, director Amma Asanta brings her extraordinary touch to a political-fueled romantic story dealing with racism.

August Geeky Faves

July flew by so much quicker than I anticipated. and shame on me for not staying on top of some geeky favorite things during that month. Before we're too far into September, here are some of the geeky things I did in August with some new goals for this month. What your goals lined up for autumn? Hope you enjoy!

Read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - The play was an enjoyable read, and probably even better to be experienced on stage, but I just couldn't connect the dots with it as Harry Potter canon. Not with a lot of the story's plotholes and inconsistencies. Albus and Scorpius were the best parts.

Book and Harley Haul - I AM UP TO MY KNEES IN BOOKS. But heck if I'm not going to try to score more - The Diviners, Station Eleven, The Martian, The Unofficial Guide to Crafting Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Belle took a mini-trip to Hogwarts. It wouldn't surprise me if the Sorting Hat experienced a hat stall when trying to place her in a house. She's definitely a Gryffinclaw to me.

It started all with a book - Stores everywhere are on a Potter high again!

Bittersweet Funko - I loved finding the Chekov funko pop (a Game Stop exclusive in his space suit) but it was a bittersweet addition to my collection.

The Martian book and movie - Did I say I am up to my knees in books? Yeah, well, I'm up to my eyeballs in reading them all. Two lost copies later and I finally have The Martian to read. YES.

Plans for September - Do not lose The Martian by Andrew Weir and read The Martian, watch scary movies for October, prepare *mystery* Halloween costume, see The Light Between Oceans, vist FanFest and see the Walking Dead cast.

Season Review: Stranger Things

Plucking similar children from The Goonies and setting them into a conspiracy within The X-Files and E.T., Netflix's nostalgic series Stranger Things is out of this world.

When twelve-year-old Will Byer (Noah Schnapps) mysteriously vanishes, his pals try to find him by putting their D&D knowledge, walkie talkies, and bicycles to the test. As Will's mother (Winona Ryder) and the chief of police Jim Hopper (David Harbour) start their own investigation, a mysterious girl Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) with supernatural powers may hold the answers about weird disturbances occurring in their small town.

While the show remarkably weaves together laughs and scares into the backdrop of an eighties sci-fi quest, the cast steals the show. To start with the kids as Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) who are Will's closest friends are refreshingly natural. It's been a while since I felt performances by child actors were animated as well as complex. The boys are so buoyant and full of personality. With Will out of the show 90% of the time, the actor/characters' bond restore the purest connection friends share: the loyalty, hope and trust it takes to be apart of a pack.

Distinguishing one role over another is a difficult task. Every actor is an essential part of the show, but when Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven enters the scene, hold onto your eggos! She is someone of a very few words and whose actions speak much louder. Her character's abilities make her powerful and mystifying, and Brown brings a true humanity as a secret weapon, eliciting a fierce and tender performance.

In a true feat of meta-casting, Winona Ryder is on hand as Will's mother Joyce. Though the notable actress didn't go into an official retirement, the eighties icon 'comes back' with a striking perseverance. As a hardworking outsider of their small town, Joyce becomes increasingly unraveled and determined to find her son. Managing the difficult task of being aware how family and strangers see her desperation, Ryder acts a fine line between fragility and unshakable determination. Some critics have written her performance as hysterical, but she undoubtedly is another bad-ass mama bear whose protective nature is as fierce as it is warm and endearing. Seeing Ryder again in any capacity is pure joy, and she doesn't disappoint here.

I would say the series is a character-led adventure with enough creepy atmospheric elements to keep their quest interesting as well as entertaining. Series creators The Duffer brothers found a magical recipe to create the hit of the summer: write characters inspired by Steven Spielberg's young-adult catalog who have big hearts and a bigger sense of wonder, and cast them in a suspenseful Stephen King-esque world. Their binge-worthy experiment oozes with scares, delights with nostalgia and provokes epic feels.

Perhaps their most impressive achievement is how the series lives as a tribute to the eighties pop culture the brothers loved growing up. Although the Duffers make a plethora of references of movies from yesteryear, their influences aren't flat and flashy. The attention to detail towards the cast, costume, set, music and cinematography feel like something straight out of the eighties instead of a one-dimensional homage. For some, the creators might've gone overboard. For someone like me who is mildly aware of iconic science-fiction and horror movies, the show balances old and new to avoid being boxed in by certain film elements it mirrors.

Stranger Things is a welcoming change from a pretty slumber summer within television, and even newly released movies. The series' eight episodes play out almost exactly as one epic vintage blockbuster and even eight individual ones. If you haven't watched it yet - curl up under some blankets. Be prepared to laugh, get scared, and believe the hype. Trust me. Friends don't lie.
Rating: ★★★ Have you watched Stranger Things? What are your thoughts?

15 Killer Quotes by The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes

Rick Grimes is the bad-ass leader on The Walking Dead. As a former police officer, a father, and a leader, he is willing to do anything to keep his family alive. Previously I compiled a list of my favorite quotes from the series, but I left this sheriff out. Plainly because Andrew Lincoln has delivered so many awesome, chilling, and even heartbreaking lines, it was hard to not compile and devote a list to his iconic anti-hero. As promised, here are fifteen killer quotes by the man. Think I missed a few of his best quotes? Feel free to share in the comments below!

Warby Parker & Kill Screen Limited Edition Glasses

Let me be completely honest: I'm obsessed with eye-wear. One of my favorite brands is polished and cutting-edge frames by Warby Parker. Every pair of their glasses for the everyday wearer has a gorgeously sleek and modern design. 

When Warby Parker announced they were going to launch a brand new game, alongside a new collection of limited edition glasses, I was all eyes (and ears) open!

For their new venture, Warby Parker partnered with Kill-Screen, a literary-minded video game arts and culture company, to create their first ever (and totally free!) game called Worbs. To make this vision come to life, trio master designers Highline Games, Warby Parker, and Kill Screen designed a physic-based matching game, where the objective is to match like-colored balls in a bowl.

The beautiful minimalist creation is set on a work desk with distracting book titles, a pair of their amazing new glasses and the ever-important "tilt button".  It's a perfect and simple game to play at your desk - something I've been doing a lot during my work breaks.

Aren't those glasses absolutely killer?

To match the joint effort between the two innovative brands, Warby Parker has transformed one of their best-selling (and one of my favorite) frames into another work of wearable art. 

Their sturdy and sleek creation Burke is serving as the inspiration to launch those ultra-chic Kill Screen limited-edition glasses. The attention to detail Warby Parker commits to in all of their styles takes on a whole other level with this exciting collaboration.

The limited-edition glasses, Burke in Glacier Grey (a best-selling frame reimagined in a new hue), are crafted from premium cellulose acetate and equipped with lenses that have anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings—which conveniently reduce the glare from screens. (Score!) Inside the frame’s temple is an embossed Kill Screen logo in their signature red. Also included in the bundle is a custom lens pouch with artwork featuring the Kill Screen logo cleverly deconstructed into minimalist lines and shapes.

The game and the glasses are an absolute total score, right? Warby Parker's gorgeous and bold premium eye wear is available for both men and women. Check out this exclusive and highly anticipated launch with their awesome game at the official website here.

Sunshine Blogger Award

The end of summer is just around the corner, and it was wonderful to end the season by receiving the Sunshine Blogger Award not once - but twice. A huge thank you goes out to Flick Chicks and Mettel Ray for considering me and my blog for this! You gals are absolutely lovely bloggers and friends. I truly consider myself in the best company!

To accept our award, we simply have to: 
Post the award on your blog (Check!)
Thank the person who nominated you (Check!)
Answer the 11 questions they set you (Check!)
Pick another 11 bloggers (and let them know they are nominated!)
Send them 11 questions

The first set of questions from FlickChicks is answered below, and the second set of questions was answered over at Mettel's blog. My 11 questions will be below with my nominees.

From FlickChicks

Settle an ongoing Flick Chicks debate for us. Which Ryan is best, Reynolds or Gosling?

Oh girls, they're both great guys... If I hve to choose, Gosling is pretty funny off-screen and I think I've liked more of his movies than Reynolds.

Who do you think Rey’s Parents are? (We’re talking Star Wars here)

Oh god, anytime I think it's one couple or person, inevitably my choice changes i.e. Han and Leia or Luke Skywalker and someone, or Jyn Erso and Captain Cassian Andor. I just don't know.

What was the first movie you saw in the cinema?

HERCULES. Megara was such a fierce character, Hercules was pretty cute, and I loved the music.

What’s your ultimate guilty pleasure movie?

I'd probably say The Haunting. It's awesomely horrible.

What’s your go-to cinema snack?

Twizzlers or alcohol. lol I love that my movie theater has a bar. It's helped me get through a lot of movies (The Revenant and 50 Shades of Grey for example).

What’s your best piece of advice for new bloggers?

Don't be afraid to rant or rave and feel confident about your opinions, and blog what you love to blog about. And don't be afraid to reach out and make friends. :)

Is there a movie out there that you hate with a passion, and why?

PROMETHEUS. I just - GAHHHHH. I was so stoked to see this movie in theaters and the trailer looked so promising....but then it just ended up being about evolution with a Ripley-copy. I'm not hating on Noomi Rapace or the cast but the script tries so hard to offer something deep and meaningful but it's so thin. Every time it's on tv I inevitably fall for putting it on and thinking it will better than it is....and it's just not so I rant and rave the whole time. GAHHHHH.

If you could create a sequel for any movie that currently doesn’t have one, which one would it be?

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! The ending leaves major clues on about a sequel if it happened, and I'd just love to see the showdown between the Darcys and zombies continue.

What other hobbies do you have, aside from movies and blogging?

Funko pop collecting is getting out of control. DEFINITELY. I also love reading and swimming.

If a movie was made about your life, who would you cast to play you?
Dakota Johnson. I'm just obsessed with her right now. 

What’s been your favourite movie of the year so far?
Captain America: Civil War, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. They're both at a really close tie and not a lot has compared to them.

Here are my 11 questions, and I'm nominating the following: Sofia from Film Flare, Katie from She Likes Movies, Sarah from How To Watch a Motion Picture, Brittany from Rambling Film, Life of This City Girl, Crystal from In The Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood, Rhys at Feeling Fuzzier, Ashlee at HerGeekery, and Chris Widdop.

Feel free to answer below instead of in a blog post, if you've been nominated before. I'll tag anyone who feels like answering these too - just for fun! :)

1. What movie surprised you the most this year?
2. If you published a memoir, what would you call it?
3. What movie character would you love to see made as a FunkoPop (that hasn't been made already)?
4. You can only place three movies into a time capsule for future generations. Which titled would you pick?
5. Is there a movie that took you a couple of viewings to appreciate?
6. What actor/actress will make you watch a movie no matter how bad it might be?
7. What actor/actress will make you less likely to see a movie?
8. If you had an opportunity to tell a director to their face how much they messed up a highly-anticipated movie, would you? what would you tell them?
9. Can a soundtrack make or break a movie?
10. What movie made you laugh recently?
11. What movie(s) are you looking forward to seeing this fall?

Ghostbusters (2016) stands on its own two feet

Photo Credit: Ghostbusters / Columbia Pictures

Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristin Wiig) is a quirky physics professor whose bid for tenure is put on hold when a former friend obsessed with the paranormal Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and her zany engineer Dr. Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) republishes a book they wrote about the supernatural. In exchange for removing the book from publication, Gilbert assists the duo to investigate a possible haunting.

When their investigation turns out to be a real phenomenon, the group decides to open a ghostbusting business, soon adding Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) into the mix. This being 2016, the gals' work soon faces backlash from online spectators and band together to save New York City from an impending supernatural apocalyptic event.

Even though the movie features some of the biggest comedians around today, my two biggest reservations were the movie's comedic tone and the cast. Comedy and action flicks today have a knack for breaking the fourth wall to become super awkward in landing punchlines. This, coupled with not being big fans of Wiig's work and worrying that McCarthy would only be on a roll of sweary tirades and pratfalls, my expectations for the movie were low at first. How the flick was going to fare was like gambling to cross the streams and praying it pays off.

Payoff, the movie really did. Director Paul Feig with screenwriter Katie Dippold pack in enough action, comedy, and heartfelt team spirit to create one heck of a ride. The script subtly follows thee original but stays unique in all the right places. They commit to doing their own thing, and deal with the extensive offline backlash, but not forget where their inspiration sprang. Their adventure isn't concerned with being flashy or "rewriting film history", just with being entertaining, giving more actors a chance to shine, and celebrating friendship.

The cast is truly a revelation, especially Wiig and McCarthy and how I imagined them. They step out of their comfort zones and don't rest on their trademark personalities. Gilbert and Yates are sensible, pragmatic and quirky leaders of the pack with McKinnon's Holtzmann and Jones' Tolan are not too far behind. There's no doubt these women are funny in their own right, whether I'm a fan of them or not, but the cast shares more than just camaraderie through comedy. Their characters use brains, brawn, and sisterhood to take down some nasty, creepy ghosts; it's downright awesome.

However, even though the movie takes two steps forward with its leads, Hemsworth and the villain both take a complexity hit. Chris Hemsworth's role as the beefcake secretary Kevin is dumber than dumb and is pretty useless. The villain, too, a creepy demon responsible for unleashing the ghosts on New York City is just a-okay. The epic finale between the Ghostbusters versus supernatural bestows some epic special effects, but the demon himself isn't entirely threatening and a little too forgettable. It would've been nice and even better if they weren't merely stand-ins (hot or not).

After so many reboots and remakes, it's a good skill to learn how to distinguish the old from the new. Ghostbusters didn't hold a lot of hype for me in the beginning, but it really exceeded my expectations. In the opposite effect of Suicide Squad's trailers over-promising, Ghostbusters' promotions under-delivered. The cast is so much fun and their characters achieve so many levels of kick-assery. Feig's movie doesn't clone the original and manages to stand on its own and beyond the hype. Let's go!

Rating: ★★★

Have you seen Ghostbusters? What are your thoughts?

Gender Swapping Takes Hollywood by Storm (and we're already tired of it)

After the critically-praised and box office failure Ghostbusters (2016), Hollywood is on a roll with not just remakes in general, but ones featuring gender-swapping. The latest is a female-centered Ocean's Eight set to star Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Mindy Kaling and Awkwafina. Upon release of this news, a supposed Ocean's Eleven fanclub came out in protest with battle cries of "How could women do this?" and "Hollywood has run out of ideas".But it's not like remakes are anything new.

Consider: the newly announced A Star Is Born (2018) is a remake of A Star Is Born (1976) which is a remake of A Star Is Born (1954) which is a remake of A Star Is Born (1937). The upcoming Steven Soderburgh produced Ocean's Eight feels right at home in following Soderburgh's remake franchise of the original Frank Sinatra version from 1960. (Is your head's spinning yet? Mine is. *sigh*)

If most stories in books to comic books and films are recycled and remakes have existed since yesteryear, is gender-swapping a problem? how do we solve it?

As superhero franchises, adaptations, sequels, and spin-offs take over the movie calendar, remakes prove Hollywood has run out of ideas. And, gender swapping may gradually worsen the genre's already poor reputation.

As female actors replace roles previously assumed by male actors, news of the casting is designed to create buzz. However, the news is more or less coming across as boring. Instead of movie goers growing excited about the go-to tool Hollywood is using to get butts into the seats, it seems flipping sexes is only engaging people into man or woman hating. Adding to the misogyny and misandry pot, flicks focusing on female gender-swapping receive more negative feedback than male-swapping.

Splash is another remake on the chopping block. The film centers on Tom Hanks' Allen falling in love with a woman who is secretly a mermaid and living out this wild fantasy of being her beau. In the newer version, Channing Tatum will star as the merman while and Jillian Bell takes over Hank's role. The details have already received positive support across the board. As audiences ride the waves until Tatum scales the scene, Ocean's Eight is already looking to avoid a misogynist reception.

In all of this effort to empower performers and audiences, Hollywood is essentially missing the point. Women can offer more representation without having to be forever associated with re-creating "men's films". Or without the one male role in a female-flick being the sexy idiot. The truest way for remakes to succeed is not to just switch sexes, but ensure that the quality in how characters are written, directed, and portrayed is good or better than the average remake.

Ghostbusters might have not been a box office success, but it was praised by critics and audiences for giving women the opportunity to be seen as funny, smart, and capable individuals who kick ghoulish asses. It's one of the reasons I loved the revamp, and the same could be said for Ocean's Eight if turns out that all of this gender-swapping is just white noise. But the vitriol reception director Paul Fieg's recreation received cast the film into the ether before it's official release, only furthering a reflection of rampant sexism. And it hasn't halted Dan Aykroyd's plans for his all-male reboot set.

Real opportunity for layered characters exists. But Ghostbusters failed in this regard when it came to Chris Hemsworth's role. As tongue-in-cheek commentary on the male gaze, he's pretty much reduced to the beefcake secretary, he's funny but dumber than dumber and just there to be a eye candy. While there's nothing wrong to slobber over celebrity hotness, the Thor actor wasn't used to the best of his abilities - especially considering his hilarious stunts hosting SNL. Just like the wives in the Ocean's Eleven movies, he's almost so useless he might as well not be in the movie. The movie has great female leads, but his performance is surface-level.

One of the positive qualities Hollywood has going for it with gender-swapping is that, like Ghostbusters, it might improve representation and raise the bar of speaking roles versus shedding clothes. Women, while replacing men, have an opportunity to make their casts as diverse as possible, opening more opportunities to women of color gracing the screen too. However, critics are trying to use the history of women being treated as objects to excuse men to pay their dues. It's sad, that so far, gender swapping is limiting performers into one-dimension.

A dire doubt emerges in these seas of clones: if studios are so focused on remaking male-dominated films, do they believe women can't sell movies? that it's advantageous to tie them to a previously "masculine" franchise? What will happen to our own unique stories if Ghostbusters and Ocean's Eight aren't simply creative anomalies?

In 2015, director George Miller created post-apocalypse action thriller Mad Max: Fury Road. No harm, no foul, the flick was the fourth installment of his series, and it still proved to be one of the most innovative, game-changing movies of that year and years to come. Additionally, women weren't the only driving force of the film, but the production team such as the editor were the heart of his crazy, imaginative adventure. Meanwhile Tom Hardy's Mad Max nor the villain Immortan Joe were reduced to tropes. It wasn't just a "she movie" or a "he movie"; it transcended type in more ways than one.

The remake genre is notorious for sucking. Fresh stories ignite imagination so much more than cardboard cut-outs. Unfortunately, wholly original mainstream movies that aren't a spin-off, an adaptation, a sequel, apart of a franchise or a remake seem all too rare. In actuality, movies should incorporate all people; not "assign a gender" to tick off certain boxes. If remakes are going to tackle gender-swapping, they can't rest on being carbon copies.

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wonder Women: Lori Grimes & Andrea

Zombies? Check. Guts and blood? Check. Andrew Lincoln looking hot? Check. Oh yeah, what else does The Walking Dead have: kick-ass women. BOOHYAH.

If there's one thing the zombie apocalypse breeds other than walkers, it's survivors, people who rise or fall to the challenge of learning new skills, losing their loved ones, making kick-ass walker kills, and waging wars against their enemies. These characters may be damsels and in distress, but they can handle themselves.

This first part of Wonder Women: The Walking Dead series will cover two controversial figures, Lori Grimes and Andrea. Nobody on the show is perfect, and frankly, the show's writing can be imperfect too. With this in mind, we're taking a look at how a lack of development affected these characters and if there's more to these women beyond their acquired love-hate relationships from critics and fans.

More parts celebrating other women will be coming along shortly with Maggie and Beth Greene, Sasha Williams, and Michonne. Beyond that, if I keep going, will cover Rosita, Tara, Jessie, Denise, and Deanna. Let me know what you think and hope you enjoy!

Suicide Squad (2016); the joke was on us

Photo Credit: Suicide Squad / Warner Bros Pictures

High-ranking government official Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) believes there's a certain set of skills from a group of imprisoned super-villains that's worth using to her advantage. In fact, she thinks they can be maneuvered as a covert strike team if the president or the United States falls into the dangerous hands of a terrorist. Recruiting a mixed bag of assassins and crazed freaks locked up in a massive security prison, these worst of the bad are united in a battle for "good".

Director David Ayer was handed the keys of the kingdom to direct an installment for the DC film universe. In what was one of the most hyped movies in the super-antihero genre, quickly divided moviegoers into love or hate camps, and for good reasons. Suicide Squad has a lot of things going on; some rewarding, some lousy, most of which can't adequately be made sense of.

A big source of ire is simply the perverted faux marketing the film suffered at the hands of Warner Bros. Whether it was an attempt to get one over on it's rival Marvel or the more necessary material ended up on the cutting room floor, the film's assured adrenaline rush lags in comparison to the awesome trailers trolling fans for the past year. Ayer's next leg of DC's franchise comes across more like a messy game of bumper cars trying to get across an imagined finished line.

Essentially, the story struggles to identify what the squad is supposed to do in terms of its all-important mission and how we feel about the group.

Unlike individual installments that focus on one superhero, this flick takes us through the backstories of the entire squad: skilled marksman who never misses Deadshot (Will Smith), unbalanced former psychiatrist Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), an assassin Boomerang (Jai Courtney), a reptilian supervillain Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and a fire-summoning former L.A. gang member El Diablo (Jay Hernandez).

The peak into who these guys are and why they are so dangerous works to a point; we understand how they can get their hands dirty and bloody and find justification for it. The film almost spends too much time unmasking the squad until their reputation as actual dangerous criminals becomes blurred. As much as we care of the bad guys, should our hearts turn so soft to them that we forget why they are behind bars? that the impetuous headstrong Waller starts looking like the villain?

While the inclusion of backstories isn't a major mistake, their insertion is one example of the disorganized story. The script is too dedicated to playing up the task force's all-important government-imposed mission. Waller and her supposed villain end up coming across like a magician using choppy misdirection to complete a half-brained trick. The squad gel together but their cause is poorly executed.

As an ensemble and building up the squad, the cast is certainly on point. Most of the squad is very well-rounded, share a humorous camaraderie, and make-up one hell of a team. Smith and Robbie steal the show and nearly every scene. Though the pair already has great chemistry together from their previous film Focus, the two really step it up here; so much so, it would be great just to have individual installments of their own.

Additionally, there is no shortage of compliments that can be given to Robbie, who seems to be an entirely different movie of her own. Her Harley Quinn is vulnerable, clever, off her rocker; completely complex. Robbie has so much fun with the role without letting her performance become a caricature or sloppy. She is definitely the star of the film.

Suicide Squad isn't wholly intolerable. Ayer's initial attempt to create a gritty comic book ride ultimately gets diluted down into a very flawed flick. With a good cast, and wicked soundtrack, his original vision - whatever that may have been, barely survives. The film ends up existing in the ether of the superhero genre, where one can only dream it was as exciting as its trailers. Sorry to say, the joke was on us.

Rating: ★☆☆ Have you seen Suicide Squad? What are your thoughts?

Let's Go (Back) To There: Lucille Ball Museum

Attractions may seem like an odd thing to lament over. If you ever visit a coffee shop or pizzeria or library that's apart of your weekly or every day hangouts, and suddenly it's just gone or you're given the news it's going to close forever, you might know where I'm coming from.

Theme parks and their rides or shops were a big part of my life growing up, having either visited them every year as a family vacation or lived close enough to be able to visit them all the time.


One of my places to visit has been Universal Studios Orlando. Last year though it's been difficult to say goodbye to some of my favorite attractions. Two of which closed forever. The first was Twister, for which I was really lucky to be apart of it's last operation day.

The other was a tribute to Lucille Ball, but unlike the walk-through to my favorite movie, I didn't experience the same bittersweet departure of another childhood staple. Instead, one day I walked into the park and the building was all boarded up. I had missed the announcement it was going to be replaced with Hello Kitty, so POOF - it was gone.

Universal Studios didn't have a lotta 'splainin' to do about the museum's departure. The museum was getting less and less space to make way for Betty Boop merchandise, which didn't seem to do any better or worse than Lucy's merchandise. Their trivia game section worked less seamlessly. That screen of which I watched the montage became dustier and dustier. Sometimes I wondered how much of my own dust was apart of that screen 'cause I visited the place to so much.


As less and less of Lucy's shows played on television, the Lucy museum became a haven for me and part of my "park routine" as a teenager. When we first hit the Universal Studios Orlando entrance, I always met my mom and sister inside the museum as they went walked through the main street bakery. I'd watch a few moments of an episode I knew by heart on a faux retro television set, and then head into the museum to be comforted by Lucille Ball's costumes and props.

Even though the museum was fairly small and nothing for anyone to get lost in, where my mom and sister could always count on finding me was sitting center of a rug with a big red heart on it. On the big screen, a montage of her shows I Love Lucy and Here's Lucy played. No matter how many times I'd seen it before and practically had the entire thing memorized, it made me so giddy to see Lucy's rambunctious schemes again.

The Lucy tribute wasn't just a place to goodbye to. I Love Lucy was a big part of my childhood. I didn't wake up watching cartoons or the Disney channel before heading off to school. Instead Lucy and Desi were apart of my morning routine. I watched reruns of I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show taking in their comedic timing and hoping I could be apart of that Classic Hollywood landscape someday. Apart of the museum gave me some of those same feelings I had as a kid. Walking down memory sure wasn't easy, but it definitely was a lot of fun. It's such a comfort that people still know her name and legacy.

Happy Birthday, Lucy! Thanks for your comedic genius!

(Book Review) Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is finally out. It's the official eighth installment of J.K. Rowling's fantastical world as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger pass the wand off to their children's experiences at Hogwarts. The book is a companion script to the play that will be begin on the London West End.

On Harry Potter's thirty-sixth birthday, the special rehearsal edition of the play was published. Of course, I lined up for the midnight release party and was super excited to be apart of the phenomenon once again. Even though we're encouraged to "keep the secrets", the play is public now and I couldn't help but want to share my thoughts.

WARNING BEYOND THIS POINT - this review contains spoilers.