Yes/No Detroit

UPCOMING: Love Never Dies, October 17-19 at the Fisher Theatre, Detroit {sequel to Phantom!}

2017-06-17T10:25:00.000-04:00

*Disclosure: I have an ongoing relationship with the Fisher Theatre and Broadway on Detroit. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

In January of this year (actually on my birthday!) I had the pleasure of seeing Phantom of the Opera for the first time, and it continues to be the best Broadway show I've ever seen. Its sequel, Love Never Dies, will be coming to the Fisher this October, and I'm very excited to attend!

About the show:

Love Never Dies will open its North American Tour at Detroit’s Fisher Theatre on October 17 with performances through October 29. Tickets for Love Never Dies start at $39 and will go on sale on Sunday, June 11 at all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 1-800-982-2787 and online at www.broadwayindetroit.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Starting Monday, June 12, tickets will also be available for purchase at The Fisher Theatre Box Office.

The new touring production will reflect an extensive re-working of the material by an Australian creative team for the original Australian premiere in 2011. Described by Chris Boyd in The Australian as “The best thing Lloyd Webber has written in the quarter century since The Phantom of the Opera.”

Directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical) with new set and costume designs by Gabriela Tylesova, choreography by 2011 Astaire Awards winner Graeme Murphy, lighting design by Nick Schlieper and sound design by Mick Potter, the show is one of the few instances of a major West End musical being given a complete makeover for subsequent productions.

Lloyd Webber said he knew about five minutes into seeing its first run-through that he and the new production team had achieved something special. “I have the great joy of being able to say that I think this production is probably the finest one I could ever, ever hope for.”

The year is 1907. It is 10 years after his disappearance from the Paris Opera House and the Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak shows of Coney Island. In this new, electrically charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar, but he has never stopped yearning for his one true love and musical protégée, Christine Daaé.

Now one of the world’s finest sopranos, Christine accepts an invitation to travel from Paris to New York to perform at a renowned opera house. Christine's marriage to Raoul is suffering at the hands of his drinking and gambling and they desperately need the financial rewards that America can give them.

In a final bid to win back Christine’s love, the Phantom lures her, Raoul, and their young son Gustave, from Manhattan to the glittering and glorious world of Coney Island - not knowing what is in store for them.

Since its premiere in 2010, Love Never Dies has enjoyed productions worldwide in London, Australia, Denmark, Japan and Germany, as well as multiple recordings including a concept album and a London cast recording. A DVD release of the Australian production has delighted fans globally, and now the North American tour brings the musical to the US for the first time.

Performance times for of Love Never Dies appearing October 17-29, 2017 at The Fisher Theatre, located at 3011 West Grand Blvd., in Detroit are:

· Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m.

· Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m.

· Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.

· Special Open Captioned performance on October 22 at 7:30pm.

Tickets for of Love Never Dies start at $39 (includes facility and parking fees) and will go on sale June 11 at all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 1-800-982-2787, and online at www.broadwayindetroit.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available for purchase starting on June 12 at The Fisher Theatre box office. A limited number of premium seats will be available through Ticketmaster and at The Fisher Theatre box office. For group sales (12 or more) please call 313-871-1132 or email groups@broadwayindetroit.com. Tickets for the Open Captioned performance may be purchased in person at The Fisher Theatre Box Office or by phone at 313-872-1000, ext. 0. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.

For more information, please visit www.loveneverdies.com.

Have you seen either Phantom of the Opera or Love Never Dies? If so, what did you think of them?

GIVEAWAY: Room on the Broom on DVD {ends 6/28}

2017-06-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

The witch had a cat and a very tall hat…

Public Media Distribution is re-releasing the film Room on the Broom, on DVD August 8. This program comes from the creators of the Oscar-nominated The Gruffalo and the sequel The Gruffalo’s Child, and is an animated adventure which tells a tale of friendship and family.

I have one copy of Room on the Broom for a lucky reader to win! This would be a great DVD for parents to watch with their children.

About the movie:
Room on the Broom is based on the beloved children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler and features the voices of Gillian Anderson, Rob Brydon, Martin Clunes, Simon Pegg, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall, and David Walliams.

This is the story of a kind witch who invites a surprising collection of animals to join her on her broom, must to the frustration of her cat. When the witch encounters a fearsome and hungry dragon, her animal friends come to her rescue. To show her gratitude, the witch rewards them with a magnificent new broom with room for everyone!

The DVD includes the following special features:

· Behind the Scenes Documentary

· Julia Donaldson Live Performance

· Artwork Gallery

Room on the Broom has an SRP of $12.99 and a run time of 30 minutes.

GIVEAWAY:

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, June 28th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be chosen and notified via email the next day. Winner will then have 24 hours to respond to the email, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Movie Review: Rough Night

2017-06-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

Rough Night starts off very funny, but unfortunately the humor wanes as time goes on. With such an A-list cast, the movie should be much funnier; unfortunately, the script is not very strong during the second half of the film.

College friends Jess (Scarlett Johansson), Alice (Jillian Bell), Blair (Zoe Kravitz), and Frankie (Ilana Glazer) decide to reunite, ten years later, for Jess's bachelorette party, which involves a weekend girls trip in Miami. Jess's friend Pippa (Kate McKinnon), whom she met while doing study abroad in Australia during college, will also be joining them. It's been a while since the four (+1) girls have been together, and they've all changed a bit in the last ten years: Jess is running for office, Blair has become a mom and kind of a trophy wife, although she and her husband have separated, and Frankie is involved with social activism. When they accidentally kill the stripper that they hired, however, their trip turns into a nightmare, and they have to figure out how to dispose of his body without getting caught and thrown in jail.

The cast in this movie is comprised of a group of very funny women, and the first half of the movie was great. Jillian Bell is always hilarious, and I love Kate McKinnon from SNL and from Ghostbusters. Kravitz and Johansson aren't known for being as funny, but they make do with what they are given; same for Glazer. After the group kills the stripper, though, the movie can't really decide if it wants to still be a comedy (what it was marketed as) or if it wants to be more serious; because of this, even though there are some dangerous situations going on, it's not surprising that we don't fear for any of the main characters, since there's a good chance (since it's a comedy film) that they will live.

Yes, see this movie. It's ideal for a matinee or if you just want a summer "popcorn" movie to watch (I know I use that expression a lot, but it's true - sometimes it's fun just to turn your brain off for a bit). The film has a few guest stars who are great, too, including Ty Burrell and Demi Moore, as a kinky couple who lives next door to the girls' Miami house, and Enrique Murciano and Dean Winters as two men who unexpectedly show up at the house. Paul W. Downs (Broad City) plays Peter, Jess's fiancee, as well. I wouldn't pay full price (night prices) for this film, but for a matinee it's not a bad choice.

Rough Night is in theaters today, June 16th, and is rated R with a runtime of 101 minutes. 3 stars out of 5.

Cocktails made with 1893 (from the makers of Pepsi-Cola), at The Skip in Detroit

2017-06-12T08:49:00.000-04:00

Image courtesy of 1893

*Disclosure: I was invited to an event and enjoyed free cocktails and appetizers. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of stopping by The Skip, located in The Belt in Detroit, a colorful alley with a few restaurants. One of the restaurants located there is The Standby, and we had their bartender, Dorothy Elizabeth, on hand at The Skip, making us cocktails that use 1893 cola.

I hadn't heard much about 1893 before the event, but it's a premium craft cola (soda) brand that is from the makers of Pepsi - and it's very tasty.

About the brand:
1893, From The Makers Of Pepsi-Cola, is a premium craft cola inspired by the original recipes created in that same year by Pepsi founder Caleb Bradham. A modern twist on the original flavors by Bradham – apart from being a delicious standalone beverage, 1893 makes for the perfect enhancement to quality and newly refined cocktails. With summer finally here, 1893 blends perfectly into some of the season’s trending themes and flavors. Cocktail culture is using the new (Citrus and Black Currant) and core (Original and Ginger Cola) flavors just in time for National Gin Day (June 11th).

The two cocktails I tried were the Slice of Sunshine (see below for recipes, above for pic) and the Read, No Reply, both of which I enjoyed. I like sweeter drinks more so than ones that taste dry, and both of these fit the bill.

My boyfriend also attended the event, and he tried the 1893 Sour, which was very good as well, with just a hint of sourness in it.Read more »

Movie Review: Megan Leavey

2017-06-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Megan Leavey tells the true story of the real-life title character, who was a Marine deployed to the Middle East with her bomb-sniffing dog, Rex. Megan ends up very attached to Rex, and eventually ends up wanting to adopt him; however, the Marines try to stand in the way of this.

Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) doesn't have much going for her in her hometown, and seemingly on the spur of the moment, she decides to join the Marines. She finds a home there, though she still gets in trouble for doing stupid stuff. When she finds out about the K9 program, which includes bomb-sniffing dogs, she pulls herself together and eventually applies and receives a German Shepherd, Rex, who is a bit of a "problem dog"; he bites people and barks at everyone. Megan and Rex eventually bond, however, and are deployed to the Middle East. When Megan eventually decides not to re-enlist in the Marines when her tour is over, she wants to adopt Rex, but instead Rex gets sent back to the Middle East.Read more »

UPCOMING: Salute to America, at Greenfield Village, June 30-July 3 {and a giveaway!}

2017-06-05T13:59:00.000-04:00

all images courtesy of thehenryford.org

*Disclosure: I will be receiving tickets to this event in exchange for this blog post. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

Salute to America will return this year to Greenfield Village, from Friday, June 30th through Monday, July 3rd.

I have yet to attend this event, so I'm excited to attend this year! I love the DSO, as well, and they are involved in the concerts, as well as the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band.

More info about the event:
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will return to Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford for Salute to America, a classic family-friendly Independence Day celebration. This year’s concerts mark the 25th anniversary of this Metro Detroit tradition and unique partnership between two cultural institutions.

Tickets are on sale now for the four nights of performances, which will take place on Friday, June 30, Saturday, July 1, Sunday, July 2, and Monday, July 3. Please see below for ticket information.

DSO Associate Conductor Michelle Merrill will lead the concerts, which take place in the Walnut Grove Historic District of Greenfield Village. The Jazz Ambassadors of the United States Army Field Band, the premier touring musical representatives of the United States Army, will also perform, sharing the stage with the DSO.Read more »

GIVEAWAY: PeachSkinSheets set in your choice of size/color! {ends 6/17}

2017-06-03T17:39:00.001-04:00

*Disclosure: Yes/No Films did not receive compensation for this post and is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Hosted by: Queen of Reviews, IMHO Views, Reviews & Giveaways, Tammie's Reviews, Giveaways & More, Southern Mom Loves, Our-Wolves-Den, Love, Mrs. Mommy, Jerri1962sBlog, Deliciously Savvy & Networking Witches

Sponsor: PeachSkinSheets

A few bloggers and I have partnered to present this giveaway to you.
Good luck!

Prize: Sheet Set in Winner's Choice of Size and Color

The Original PeachSkinSheets was founded in 2013 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. They pride themselves on being The Original, One and Only Authentic Brand, and their signature peach zipper pull is featured on every sheet package. Their affordable bed sheets are made from a breathable, high performance athletic grade SMART fabric that is great for hot sleepers due to its thermal control and moisture wicking properties. In addition, the ultra soft brushed finish provides a softness level that parallels 1500 thread count cotton but without the shrinkage, wrinkles and pilling.

Dates: 6/3-6/17

Open to: US Residents 18+

Enter to win using the widget below.

Entry -Form

Movie Review: Wonder Woman

2017-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

Wonder Woman starts off a lot slower than I expected, and it doesn't pick up until the action sequences begin midway through the movie. The action sequences, however, are awesome.

Diana (Gal Gadot) is raised on a secret island, which only contains women. Her mother, Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), doesn't want her to start her "training" too young, but her aunt, General Antiope (Robin Wright), starts to teach her, in secret. When a pilot and his plane fall into the ocean nearby, Diana swims to save him; his name is Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), and he's a spy for England, who was placed in Germany. There's a war going on, he says (WWII), and Diana leaves the island with him to try and stop the war. Along the way, she'll find that it's not always clear who the enemy is, and that humans are more complicated than she once thought, too.Read more »

GIVEAWAY: The Shack on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD combo {ends 6/3}

2017-05-27T10:23:00.001-04:00

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Lionsgate. I received information to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

I haven't yet watched The Shack, but I am interested in seeing it - although it's a Christian movie, the cast looks phenomenal (Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer, Tim McGraw), and I'm a big fan of Octavia Spencer's movies.

The film is already out on Digital HD, and it's arriving May 30th on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand. One of my lucky readers has the chance to win a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD combo pack!

About the movie:

Based on the worldwide best-selling novel, with over 22 million copies in print, the inspirational story of faith and love, The Shack, arrives on Digital HD May 16, and Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand May 30 from Lionsgate. Starring Sam Worthington (Avatar, Hacksaw Ridge), Academy Award® winner Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress, The Help, 2011) and country music superstar Tim McGraw (The Blind Side), The Shack takes us through a father’s experience learning the ultimate truth about love, loss, and forgiveness. The Christian movie event of the year, this “powerful and gripping” (The Dove Foundation) film has been awarded the Dove Faith Friendly Seal of Approval. The Shack takes us on a father’s transformative spiritual journey. After a family tragedy, Mack (Worthington) spirals into a crisis of faith and questions God’s existence and life’s purpose. Mack is unable to move on, until he gets a mysterious invitation to an abandoned shack. There, God reveals Himself in the form of three strangers led by Papa (Spencer). Mack’s journey will transform audiences of all ages, in this movie that you will want to watch over and over.

Movie Review: Baywatch (2017)

2017-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

I've never seen the TV show that the movie version of Baywatch is based on, but a few of the original cast members are brought back for cameo roles in the movie. The show initially only ran for one season, and then was canceled by NBC; however, it was later picked up through syndication. Baywatch (2017) isn't the first spin-off of the show, but it is the first movie adaptation of it, and it takes place in Florida rather than California.

Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson) is the Lieutenant lifeguard of Baywatch, and they're looking to expand their team by three people this year. One slot will definitely be going to former Olympian Matt Brody (Zac Efron), who is mandated to be there for community service; the other two slots end up going to Summer Quinn (Alexandra Daddario) and the dedicated but clumsy Ronnie Greenbaum (Jon Bass), who is shocked when he's chosen for the team. However, something's not right currently in the bay - bodies keep washing ashore, as well as the drug flaca, and Mitch is convinced that real estate mogul Victoria Leeds (Priyanka Chopra, Quantico) is somehow involved. The team must keep the bay safe, as well as investigate Leeds and see what her ultimate plan is.Read more »

GIVEAWAY: Two Cinetopia Film Festival movie passes (for the ENTIRE festival!) - ends 5/29

2017-05-24T08:42:00.000-04:00

*Disclosure: I will be attending Cinetopia Film Festival as media. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

Cinetopia is one of my favorite film festivals to go to, and it takes place every summer in both Ann Arbor and Detroit. Last year, they added some Dearborn screenings too, at the Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience, too.

I'm very excited that one of my lucky readers has the chance to win TWO movie passes - one for you and one for a friend! This will get you in to any movie you'd like to see during the ENTIRE festival. And that's a lot of movies - in 2015, I saw 16 movies over the course of two weekends.

Each of these passes are worth $120, so this giveaway is a $240 value.

You can click here to see my top 10 choices out of this year's vast schedule, too; click here to see the festival's entire film lineup; and click here if you'd like to purchase a ticket. Tickets range for $12 for one movie to $150 for a festival pass. (or $120 for a movie pass, which is the festival pass minus the parties)Read more »

UPCOMING: Top 10 picks for the 2017 Cinetopia Film Festival, June 1-11, Ann Arbor & Detroit

2017-05-22T07:30:00.000-04:00

*Disclosure: I will be receiving media passes for the festival. All opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

It's that time again! The Cinetopia Film Festival starts on Thursday, June 1st, and this will be my 4th year covering the festival here on my blog. I already have a tentative schedule for myself, and this year I'll be in town for most of the festival, as well (last year I was in out of town during one of the festival weekends) so I'm hoping to maximize the amount of films I get to see.

If you're unfamiliar with the festival, you can read more about it here, and also purchase tickets - prices range from $12 to a single ticket ($9 for Michigan Theater members) to $120 for a festival pass. If you're a student, you can score a festival pass for only $50, too.

>> Click HERE to enter to win TWO movie passes, valid for the entire festival! Ends 5/29/17.

*All images courtesy of CinetopiaFestival.org.

1. The Hero

MICHIGAN PREMIERE. Western star of yesteryear Lee Hayden (SAM ELLIOTT) likes to reminisce with his drug dealer buddy Jeremy (NICK OFFERMAN) about the good times gone by. But when Lee runs into a roadblock, he gets a fresh chance to reclaim the spotlight with the help of his new lover Charlotte (LAURA PREPON) and an industry award for his work. Director BRETT HALEY (I’ll See You in My Dreams) gives a strong, funny, and touching take on a man in his later years making the best of being in the moment.

This includes some big names - Nick Offerman is funny in most movies he's in, though this sounds more like a drama, and I'm a fan of Laura Prepon from Orange is the New Black.

2. I Am Not Madame Bovary

When Li (BINGBING FAN, winner of the ASIAN FILM AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS) realizes that her divorce has become a sham, she decides to take on the Chinese bureaucracy. A series of personal battles with community officials provokes a tireless ten-year fight, ultimately taking her one-woman war for justice to Beijing and back. Enlisting the help of her potential new husband and the self-serving authorities who spar with her along the way, Li finds a surprising and poignant outcome. This smart, visually stunning, and insightful slice-of-life look at China won the TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL CRITICS’ AWARD.

I've seen a lot of really good international films during previous Cinetopia years, and this sounds like it could be one of those. It's being shown in Mandarin with English subtitles, also.

GIVEAWAY: 15 movies {action, sci-fi, war favorites} on DVD! {ends 5/29}

2017-05-20T12:32:00.000-04:00

Mill Creek Entertainment recently released three collections of DVDs (with 5 movies on each collection) and one of my lucky readers has a chance to win ALL three!

About the collections:
Action Adventures - 5 Western Classics:

One-Eyed Jacks
(1961) Color Not Rated
Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Slim Pickens

A pair of bandits makes off with the gold from a bank heist but an opportunity arises where one man takes the gold for himself, leaving his partner to take the blame and face imprisonment in Mexican jail. Escaping from prison many years later, the wronged bandit searches for his former partner to exact his revenge upon him. The bandit finds his former partner has become a respected sheriff in California and the man still wishes to eliminate the man he betrayed.

Dan Candy’s Law
(1973) Color Rated PG
Donald Sutherland, Kevin McCarthy, Chief Dan George

Dan Candy (Donald Sutherland) is a Canadian Mountie searching for the Native American who murdered his partner. His relentless pursuit of the killer ends up placing him in extreme peril when the hunter becomes the hunted.

Gone with the West
(1978) Color Rated R
James Caan, Sammy Davis Jr., Stephanie Powers

Enlivened by star turns from James Caan and Sammy Davis, Jr. we follow the tale of a not-so-reputable hero, Jud McGraw and a less-than-innocent Indian maid, known as Little Moon. They have both come to the deserted town of Black Miller to settle old scores. Out of the smoldering cinders of the town love finds a way in this delightful romantic western.

Yuma
(1970) Color Not Rated
Clint Walker, Barry Sullivan, Kathryn Hays

Dave Harmon (Clint Walker) is a U.S. Marshal is sent to the territory of Yuma to bring justice to an otherwise lawless land. All previous marshals have been run out of the territory, mainly due to the actions of Arch King, a man who only works by his laws. The new marshal is set up for shooting a man and it appears that King and some U.S. soldiers are involved in the plot. Harmon is forced to defend himself and expose the corruption in Yuma.

Colorado Sundown
(1952) B&W Not Rated
Rex Allen, Slim Pickens, Mary Ellen Kay

The heirs to a Colorado ranch look to exploit their timber interests on the ranch at the expense of the cattle ranchers in the area. The heirs are shocked to discover their recently deceased father has also left the ranch to two other relatives. Not wanting to share their newfound wealth or have them discover their plans, the evil siblings decide to eliminate their relatives, just as they had done with an inquisitive forest ranger. What the devious duo didn’t expect to contend with is ranch foreman Rex Allen arriving with his boss, one of the relatives, who uncovers their plans and looks to stop them.Read more »

Movie Review: Everything, Everything

2017-05-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Everything, Everything is based upon the book of the same name, which I haven't read but would now like to read. It focuses on a girl who has SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency), aka "bubble boy" (or in this case, "bubble girl") disorder, and who hasn't left her house in the past 17 years.

Maddy Whittier (Amandla Stenberg, The Hunger Games) wants to experience the world, but since she has SCID, she can't. She's lucky in that her mother, Pauline (Anika Noni Rose, The Princess and the Frog) is a doctor, so she is well taken care of; the only other people allowed in the house are Rosa (Danube R. Hermosillo), her nurse, and Rosa's teenage daughter, who is about the same age as Maddy but is leaving for college soon. When a new boy, Olly (Nick Robinson, The Kings of Summer) moves in next door, he and Maddy start texting, and eventually Rosa allows him to visit her, once. Maddy eventually wants more, though, and must push her disorder to see how much she can live a full life, despite having SCID.Read more »

GIVEAWAY: Girls: The Complete Sixth Season, on Digital HD {2 winners, ends 5/25}

2017-05-18T08:55:00.000-04:00

I've been a big fan of Girls for a while now, and HBO recently aired the series finale. The Digital HD version recently became available on May 15, and it will hit Blu-ray and DVD on July 25.

Two of my lucky readers now have a chance to win Digital HD codes of Girls: The Complete Sixth Season! Enter to win below.

About the season:
It’s the end of an era! Over the course of its first five seasons, Girls, the hit HBO comedy series created by and starring Emmy® nominee and Golden Globe® winner Lena Dunham, and executive produced by Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner, has continued to be one of the most critically acclaimed and buzzed about shows on television. Now fans can finally find out how this instantly-iconic HBO series ends when Girls: The Complete Sixth Season will be available for Digital Download on May 15, 2017 and on Blu-ray and DVD on July 25, 2017. All formats feature exclusive new bonus content, including an extended version of ‘A Goodbye to Girls’ featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, ‘Inside the Episodes’ featurettes and more.

In the sixth and final season of Girls, HBO's hit comedy continues to follow the assorted humiliations and triumphs of a group of 20-something friends in NYC. Season 6 picks up six months after the end of Season 5, with Hannah (Dunham), enjoying new success as a writer while her roommate and bestie Elijah (Andrew Rannells) considers getting serious about his acting career. Marnie (Allison Williams), now in a relationship with Ray (Alex Karpovsky), seeks to maintain her independence post-divorce from Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). Now also a couple, Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Adam (Adam Driver) decide to embark on a creative project to channel their passions, which could become a source of contention. And Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) finds herself professionally on the right path, though personally she realizes that her friendships may be holding her back. A time for closing chapters and new beginnings, Girls follows our four familiar friends as they attempt to get closer to becoming the women they always envisioned – even as life sometimes gets in the way.

Girls has continued to inspire critical raves in its sixth season, with The Washington Post hailing the show for achieving “overall excellence” and The New York Times praising it’s “poignant hilarity”. For fans of the show, it was difficult to say goodbye, but now you can relive the hilarious “4 star” (US Weekly) series and complete your collection with the upcoming release of Girls: The Complete Sixth Season.

GIVEAWAY: win the Murder 101 collection on DVD - 2 winners! {ends 5/23}

2017-05-16T08:40:00.000-04:00

Mill Creek Entertainment recently released Murder 101 on DVD (two made-for-TV episodes), featuring Dick Van Dyke. Two of my lucky readers now have the chance to win a copy of the DVD!

About the episodes:

Who Knew Solving Crimes Could Be So Much Fun?
After the tremendous success of the hit CBS series Diagnosis Murder, Dick Van Dyke and his son Barry reunite in these popular made-for-TV mysteries.

Murder 101: If Wishes Were Horses
Criminology professor Jonathan Maxwell is called upon to help when a prize racehorse is kidnapped. But the case turns deadly when a member of the family that owns the horse dies in a suspicious fire. What the case yields is a family embroiled in jealousy and greed.

Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery
Samuel is a spiritual healer with a large and influential following. But when he locks himself in a meditation chamber with four students, only to turn up dead with his students still deep in their meditative trance, it s up to Professor Maxwell to figure out the why and how.Read more »

Movie Review: Snatched

2017-05-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

I had high hopes for Snatched, which marked Goldie Hawn's return to the big screen,for the first time since 2002's The Banger Sisters. Unfortunately, although the film started off promising, it slowly became less funny throughout.

Emily (Amy Schumer) is about to embark on a vacation to Ecuador with her musician boyfriend, Michael (Randall Park, Fresh Off the Boat), when he suddenly breaks up with her. Since her vacation is nonrefundable, she needs to find someone else to be her +1 for the trip. After all of her friends decline, she decides to ask her mother, Linda (Hawn), a super cautious woman who nowadays rarely leaves her house. Once they arrive in Ecuador, Emily meets a cute guy, James (Tom Bateman), who eventually ends up being their downfall - he arranges for them to be kidnapped and held at ransom. Emily and Linda must escape and somehow find their way to the American embassy so that they can get back to the United States.Read more »

Movie Review - King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

2017-05-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

I would venture a guess and say that most people are familiar with the story of King Arthur. However, this movie focuses on the backstory, and how Arthur eventually became king, and it was much different (and much more fun!) than I thought it would be.

At the beginning of the film, Uther Pendragon (Eric Bana) is the king, but his evil brother, Vortigern (Jude Law), wants to take his place (Lion King vibes, anyone?). To do this, Vortigern has to make a blood sacrifice to the octopus-esque monster that lives underground; once he does this, he is granted extraordinary powers, and is able to kill his brother. His nephew Arthur, then a toddler, is able to escape, though, and we later see a montage of him being raised in the streets, and living in a brothel (eventually becoming the Arthur of 'present-day,' aka Charlie Hunnam).

Inevitably, all of the men in England are asked to try and pull the sword from the stone, since the tide is very low and the sword has recently become visible. This is also a way for Vortigern, now king, to try and find Arthur, since there is a prophecy that says that Arthur will usurp him and become king. Once Arthur pulls the sword from the stone, things escalate from there.Read more »

TV review: The Handmaid's Tale, episodes 1-3, on Hulu

2017-04-28T11:41:00.000-04:00

I have been watching a lot of really, really good TV lately - and it's mostly been on streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu. I binged Girlboss (Netflix) last weekend, I watched 13 Reasons Why (also Netflix) a few weeks ago, and this week, I watched all three episodes of The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu) in one day.

To give you some background on me: this is not my only blog. I write here and also at my book blog, so when Hulu announced last year that they planned on making an adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood, I was very excited. I read the book in high school (and still own it, actually) and it was great.

I watched half of the first episode on Wednesday, when it premiered, before work; I finished it on my lunch break that day; and I (mini) binged episodes 2 and 3 after work that day.

Needless to say: all of them were very, very good. (and now I want to binge ALL of them, but can't because Hulu is only releasing one per week, on Wednesdays. Why must you toy with us like this, Hulu?!)

Elisabeth Moss as Offred/June, and Samira Wiley as Moira

Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) plays Offred, but before the United States became Gilead, she had another name and life: June, who was a mother to a young child, Hannah (Jordana Blake), and a wife to Luke (O-T Fagbenle). When it looks like it's no longer safe for them to stay in their home, they make a run for it to Canada, through the Maine border; unfortunately, (semi-spoiler) Luke is murdered, and Hannah is taken from June.

Now, Offred is a handmaid, who lives in the home of Commander Fred Waterford (her new name is literally, Of-Fred - if she were to be re-assigned to another house, her name would change) and his wife, Serena Joy. In the new republic, most women are infertile; as a handmaid, Offred's job is to get pregnant by her Commander, so that he and his wife can have a baby. June's personality still lives inside Offred, though, and although Offred is meek and religious on the outside, June wants to change her circumstances by any means possible.Read more »

Movie Review: The Fate of the Furious

2017-04-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Let's get one thing straight: people don't see Fast and the Furious movies for the dialogue or plot. This is abundantly clear here, in the eighth movie of the series, but I will say this: these movies are entertaining, and the stunts are ridiculously crazy and fun to watch.

The film opens in Cuba, where Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his new wife, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), are on their honeymoon. He stops on the street one day to help a woman who is having car problems (Charlize Theron), only to find out that she knows who he is - and she wants him to work for her, thus double-crossing his own team. We later find out that she has quite a compelling reason for him to switch sides, but his team doesn't know this - they only know he crossed them. Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), Letty, Deckard (Jason Statham), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and Tej Parker (Ludacris) must again reunite in order to stop Dom and Cipher (Theron) from stealing Russian nukes, which in her hands would be quite dangerous.Read more »

Movie Review: Gifted

2017-04-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

I had been looking forward to seeing Gifted, since I had been hearing great reviews, and I was not disappointed - with an excellent cast and an interesting plot, the movie is very good.

Mary Adler (Mckenna Grace) lives with her uncle, Frank (Chris Evans), in a small apartment in Florida. She's best friends with her neighbor, Roberta (Octavia Spencer), and at 6 1/2 years old, she will be attending school for the first time. However, when she gets there, she finds herself quite bored - because Mary is a gifted child, especially in mathematics, and the other first graders are learning how to do simple problems like 2+2. Mary's teacher, Bonnie (Jenny Slate), immediately realizes this, and speaks to Frank about it; what she doesn't know, however, is that Mary's mother died when she was a baby, and Frank, as her uncle, has been her caretaker since then.

Frank also hasn't been in touch with his mother, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), since she turned her back on Mary's mother when she got pregnant, but all of a sudden, Evelyn resurfaces: and she wants custody of Mary, whom she had not even met until now.Read more »

Review and GIVEAWAY: The Murder-Mystery Company, Eastpointe & Livonia, MI {ends 4/18}

2017-04-11T08:13:00.000-04:00

*Disclosure: I received two VIP tickets to attend this event. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

Although I have been to a murder-mystery party at a friend's house before, I had never been to an "official" murder-mystery dinner, so I was excited to try out The Murder-Mystery Company's show in Eastpointe, MI this past weekend.

We arrived at Eastpointe Manor around 6:30 - technically, the line starts at 6:30 for VIP ticket holders, which we were, and 6:40 for non-VIP. When we arrived, however, there was already a line, so make sure to arrive early if you attend a show.

GIVEAWAY: Digital download of The Young Pope {2 winners, ends 4/17}

2017-04-10T08:51:00.000-04:00

HBO's limited series The Young Pope is available for digital download today, and will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 6th. Read on to see how you can win a digital download!

I haven't seen this series but the cast looks great - Jude Law and Diane Keaton in particular.

About the series:
Starring two-time Academy Award® nominee Jude Law and Academy Award® winner Diane Keaton, the “superb” (Rolling Stone) HBO® limited series The Young Pope is yours to own on Digital Download April 10, 2017 and on Blu-ray and DVD June 6th, 2017. The series, which delves in to the life of a newly elected pope (Law) – the youngest in history and first-ever American – whose audacity, independence and arch-conservatism wreaks havoc within the Vatican. Heralded by critics as “dazzling, riveting” (TV Guide), The Young Pope on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download includes all ten episodes of the limited series and three special features including an exclusive new “The Making of The Young Pope” featurette. The Blu-ray and DVD release also include a free Digital Download copy.Read more »

Movie Review: Going in Style (2017)

2017-04-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Ocean's 11 meets AARP in the newest heist movie, featuring three old-timers who you most likely have heard a bit about: Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Alan Arkin. I didn't know this before seeing it, but it's apparently based on a 1979 movie of the same name; IMDb's synopsis of that film is "Three friends who are living on the dole decide to organize a bank robbery," which is accurate for this version as well.

Willie (Freeman), Joe (Caine), and Albert (Arkin) aren't rich, but they get by on their pensions from the steel mill where they worked. Willie is sick and goes in for infusions, but Joe and Albert don't know that - he's been keeping it a secret. Joe, however, is about to lose his house, because the interest rates on his mortgage just went way up, and when he goes to the bank to talk to them about it, he finds himself in the middle of a bank robbery. Buoyed by how easy the robbery was, and disgruntled at the recent loss of their pensions, he suggests to his friends that they too could rob a bank - and to make it personal, they could rob their own bank, which didn't want to cut Joe a break on his inflated mortgage payment.Read more »

TV review (Netflix): 13 Reasons Why, a must-see show about teens, bullying, and suicide

2017-04-05T11:54:00.002-04:00

all images from ew.com

I'm not usually a "binge watcher" when it comes to TV shows - I like to savor a show, especially if we know it only has a limited number of episodes (ie, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, also on Netflix). However, I started watching 13 Reasons Why on Saturday, and just finished it last night, three days later.

The show is based on the book of the same name, by Jay Asher, which I remember liking, but apparently gave 2 out of 5 stars to on Goodreads, in 2011. They've made a few changes from the book, too, which you can read about here, and I eventually want to reread the book when I have time.

About the show (Wiki synopsis):
Hannah Baker, a high school student, dies by suicide. Two weeks later, Clay Jensen, one of her closest friends, finds a package on his doorstep containing 13 audio cassettes made by Hannah explaining the 13 reasons why she killed herself, and Clay is one of them. In order to find out how he fits in, Clay must listen to the tapes. But doing so may reveal a disturbing secret about Hannah, as well as some of his classmates, that Clay isn't ready for. Meanwhile, his classmates featured on these tapes set out to keep their secrets hidden, by any means necessary.

The TV series was probably one of the best teen series I've seen on TV (including Netflix) in a long time.

Starting from episode 1, we know that Hannah Baker has committed suicide. I read a review of the series that said something like "it's not fair for Netflix to make us fall in love with a dead girl," and I'd agree with that - overall, I liked Hannah as a person, though I have some nitpicking to do too (see below). She and her friend Clay are the two main characters in the show, even though Clay was more of an acquaintance to Hannah than a friend - they worked at the same movie theater together, but she had many secrets that Clay didn't know about.

Teens here are depicted very realistically - they swear, they drink at parties, and they're mean to each other in the hallways of their high school. Although the teen cast is mostly unrecognizable, movie fans may recognize Clay (Dylan Minnette) from Goosebumps, Prisoners, or TV's Scandal, and I definitely recognized Derek Luke, as one of the high school administrators, from Antwone Fisher; he was in TV's Empire, as well.