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Showing posts from July, 2012

Step Up Revolution

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Step Up Revolution is the fourth film in the Step Up series, of which Channing Tatum and other prominent dancers are alums. The movies are known for having poor story lines but fantastic dancing, and  Step Up Revolution  might actually be the best film yet in the series dance-wise. The plot is "fluffy," yes, but if you take  Step Up Revolution  at face value - as a dance movie - you will be pleasantly surprised, because the dancing in this film was intricate, definitely well-choreographed, and even sizzling in some scenes. Sean (newcomer Ryan Guzman) works as a waiter at a hotel. After his shift is over, though, he hits the hotel's beach club with his friends to work on his dance moves. It's there that he meets Emily (Kathryn McCormick, TV's S o You Think You Can Dance ), who proves that although she's classically-trained, she can definitely keep up with him on the dance floor. Sean is a member of "The Mob," who does dancing flash mobs all over

The Watch

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I made the mistake of watching the red-band (rated R) trailer for The Watch before the regular trailer, and due to its content I had very low expectations going in to the movie. Save for a few funny one-liners here and there, the movie failed to beat my expectations and was one of the more bizarre movies I've seen in the theater lately. Evan (Ben Stiller, Tower Heist ) is the manager of a local Costco in his small Ohio town. One night, he says goodbye to Antonio (Joe Nunez, Free Samples ), the night watchman at Costco, and when Evan returns the next morning, he finds tons of cops swarming the building; someone had murdered Antonio during his shift. Evan decides to start the Neighborhood Watch, and he gets a diverse group of guys to sign up for it: Bob (Vince Vaughn, The Dilemma ), who is looking for a group of "bros" to hang out with; Franklin (Jonah Hill, 21 Jump Street ), a police academy reject who is looking to join a "vigilante squad," as he puts it;

Introducing my BlogHer sponsor, BuildASign.com

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I was recently contacted by the website BuildASign.com  with the possibility of sponsoring some promotional materials for Yes/No Films for the upcoming BlogHer conference, and I gladly accepted. BuildASign helps you create banners, signs , bumper stickers, business cards, and more, and I decided to create a magnet for my website, since I definitely have enough business cards already for the conference. I received the magnets in the mail today and it came out exactly how the proof had appeared online! BuildASign lets you either upload your own custom design or use one of their templates; I decided to use one of their templates but customize it. Take a look! BuildASign also has a sister site, EasyCanvasPrints.com , where you can create custom canvases based on your own photos or photos/paintings/etc. that you like. I would definitely use BuildASign again if I needed magnets or signs for my site, or if I wanted to make a bumper sticker. If you see me at BlogHer next week, ask

The Dark Knight Rises

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The Dark Knight Rises is visually pleasing, as Nolan once again creates a Gotham that seems to be a mash-up of a few major cities. Unfortunately, the film doesn't explain a lot of its new characters' backstories until near the end of the film, and Bane is very difficult to understand because he always speaks with a mask covering his mouth. For all of its faults and positives, however, I still recommend seeing the film, and it creates a fitting end for The Dark Knight trilogy, started in 2005 with B atman Begins. At the end of The Dark Knight (2008), Batman (Christian Bale) and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) have decided that Batman will take the fall for Harvey Dent's death; Harvey (Aaron Eckhart) had become the villain "Two-Face" and had tried to kill one of Gordon's children, but Batman and Gordon realized that the city still needs a hero. TDKR picks up eight years after his death, when Dent Day is being celebrated. Gotham has been mostly crime-f

BlogHer '12: NYC

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In lieu of a new movie review today (the only thing new in theaters here is Ice Age: Continental Drift  ...), I have for you a little post about BlogHer '12, which is fast approaching, and is my first time attending a blogging conference. About 4,500 bloggers, mostly women, are attending BlogHer '12, and this year it's in New York City, where it was also held in 2010. In 2011 it was in San Diego; I was thinking of going but airfare from Detroit to San Diego is a bit more than Detroit to NYC. Coney Island, 2010 This will also be my sixth  time in NYC but only the second staying in a hotel. My first introduction to the city was in 2007, when I was visiting a then-college roommate in Pennsylvania. We took the bus to the city, ran around all day, then took the train to one of her friend's houses in New Jersey to sleep there for the night. The next day, we took the train back to the city, then the bus back to PA at the end of the day. It was crazy! The city was to

Oz: The Great and Powerful trailer released today

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Oz: The Great and Powerful was filmed in Michigan at Raleigh Studios last summer, and the first trailer for it is finally out. The movie will be in theaters on March 8, 2013 and stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Zach Braff, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz, among others. Synopsis of the film, from the press release: Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is goo

New TV spot: Disney's The Odd Life of Timothy Green

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I am hoping to see a screening of this film when I'm at BlogHer in New York City next month - Disney is doing a screening and then a cocktail party afterwards. I love Jennifer Garner, too, and she's rarely on the big screen anymore! The Odd Life of Timothy Green  will be in theaters on August 15th. Full synopsis: Academy Award®–nominated director/writer Peter Hedges (“Dan in Real Life,” What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”) brings enchantment to the screen with “The Odd Life of Timothy Green.” It’s the inspiring, magical story of a happily married couple, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton), who can’t wait to start a family but can only dream about what their child would be like. When young Timothy (CJ Adams) shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim—and their small town of Stanleyville—learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts. Disney presents “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” with Ahmet Zappa, Scott Sande

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

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I am not a fan of reboots of series that are still fresh in my mind, so I knew that The Amazing Spider-Man was going to have to be good to merit a positive review from me. The cast of Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, and Martin Sheen was enough to draw me to the theater to see it, and I'm glad I did, even though it's a bit different than its 2002 predecessor. The beginning of the film plays out much like the '02 version, in that Peter Parker (later played by Andrew Garfield, The Social Network ) is mysteriously dropped off at the house of his aunt (Sally Field, TV's Brothers & Sisters ) and uncle (Martin Sheen, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World ), after his parents fear for his safety. His parents later die in a plane crash, and Peter never gets to find out why they were so anxious to clear out of the house. Peter is raised by his aunt and uncle, and he's currently a teenager attending high school in New York City. He's always been inte

Savages

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Directed by Oliver Stone, Savages is a "shoot 'em up" movie, plain and simple, though it's masquerading as a story about the marijuana industry. The film will captivate your attention from its opening scenes and hold it until the very end, and the acting in the film benefits from a strong ensemble cast. The movie is definitely not for the younger set, as it's a VERY "hard R," but adults will enjoy its fast-paced story. Ophelia, who goes by "O" (Blake Lively, TV's Gossip Girl ), has a relationship with both Chon (Taylor Kitsch, Battleship ) and Ben (Aaron Johnson, Kick-Ass ), who are partners in a lucrative business growing and selling marijuana. Chon and Ben live in a ocean-view house and share O, and life is good; that is, until the Mexican drug cartel wants in on their business. When they decline a business offer, the angry Mexicans decide to retaliate by kidnapping O. Their leader is Elena (Salma Hayek, Puss in Boots ) but her henc