"C" Reviews

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The word, “meh,” gets bandied around a lot.

Ms. Matched (2016)

Rebecca Deniston
·
June 15, 2022
Ms. Matched (2016)

This was one of those times I decided to review a movie for the heck of it. It was there in my Amazon recs. It looked like fun. But we’ll get to that. Ms. Matched seems like an obvious ripoff of The Wedding Planner, and in some ways it is, only there are no unfortunate jokes about well-endowed statues. It even starts out the same way, with wedding planner…

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Birds of Paradise (2021)

Rebecca Deniston
·
June 25, 2022
Birds of Paradise (2021)

I enjoy ballet, although I was never very good at it (tap was my thing), but I think it’s beautiful and fascinating. I always wonder how dancers feel the first time they go en pointe. Ergo, movies about dancers and the dancing world are intriguing to me, such as the 2021 film,

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The Blue Bird (1940)

Rebecca Deniston
·
August 3, 2022
The Blue Bird (1940)

The Blue Bird is kind of infamous among film buffs and Shirley Temple fans. If anyone’s not familiar with the movie and its surrounding story, well, have fun. It opens in black and white. The setting is a forest, where Mytyl and her little brother Tytyl are busy trapping a rare bird in a cage. Mytyl is kind of a selfish brat who knows she’s a brat but wh…

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The Manor (2021)

Rebecca Deniston
·
August 17, 2022
The Manor (2021)

They say getting older is a privilege, but it can also be a little scary. How weird is it for someone who’s say, middle-aged to see gray hair and the beginning of wrinkles in their peers and then feel the urge to rush to the mirror? Or blow the dust off their high school yearbooks? It’s life, it’s bound to happen, we choose how we react, and that’s pret…

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Batwoman (1968)

Rebecca Deniston
·
September 24, 2022
Batwoman (1968)

Batman and Robin is obviously and deservedly considered one of the worst movies ever made, certainly one of the worst Batman movies ever made, but it just might have a little competition. It’s quiet competition, but still competition. I’m talking about 1968’s

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The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Rebecca Deniston
·
October 5, 2022
The Blair Witch Project (1999)

OK, some eyebrows might raise at this idea, but I finally got to see The Blair Witch Project. I was in college when this movie came out and all my friends told me I would hate it, so I gave it a pass. It’s over twenty years later, though, so were they right?

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Winchester (2018)

Rebecca Deniston
·
October 29, 2022
Winchester (2018)

Sarah Winchester and her commodious tangle of a house seem tailor-made for horror. This woman died exactly a century ago and so many of her secrets went with her. We’ll never know much about her inner life or what specifically drove her to keep the workmen at it twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for thirty-eight years. 2018’s

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Aline (2022)

Rebecca Deniston
·
November 5, 2022
Aline (2022)

Ah, modern technology. Somehow my Amazon algorithm saw fit to recommend Aline, which is about a French-Canadian singer who’s the youngest of fourteen children. As a baby she slept in a dresser drawer and as a child she started singing with her family. She goes on to marry her much older producer, have three boys, bring the house down with “My Heart Will…

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That's Amor (2022)

Rebecca Deniston
·
November 9, 2022
That's Amor (2022)

No one’s ever indifferent to romcoms, even if they’re just running in the background, maybe because hope springs eternal that the genre will produce something that stands out from the gajillion other romance movies out there. That’s Amor looks light, frothy, and bright, but is it memorable? Not so much.

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Christmas In Palm Springs (2014)

Rebecca Deniston
·
December 21, 2022
Christmas In Palm Springs (2014)

Joe and Jessica Brady are divorced. Joe is a playwright and Jessica is in advertising or something, and their two children, Zoey and Dylan wish they would get back together. So much so that when Mom is out for a business meeting with Ian, her boss, and Dad is two hours late to stay with them, they hide in the bushes watching Jessica talking to Ian in th…

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody (2022)

Rebecca Deniston
·
December 24, 2022
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody (2022)

Whitney Houston, also known as The Voice, has quite a bit in common with Elvis and Judy Garland in that she’s a little hard to pin down. It’s like treading on sacred space. Any singer who watches her perform can only hope to come anywhere close to what Houston had.

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New Year's Eve (2011)

Rebecca Deniston
·
December 31, 2022
New Year's Eve (2011)

OK, it’s a bit inception-y to review a movie called New Year’s Eve for…New Year’s Eve, but it’s also really, really tempting because it’s a target of opportunity and all that stuff. Zoikes, though. Directed by Garry Marshall, the film follows several different story arcs, all set in or around Manhattan and all of which presumably culminate…

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The Secret: Dare To Dream (2020)

Rebecca Deniston
·
January 4, 2023
The Secret: Dare To Dream (2020)

Who hasn’t seen copies of The Secret around Target or Walmart, or, well, everywhere? Its title lends itself to secrecy in more ways than one—when the book came out in 2006 it was as if everyone was talking about it but not really saying anything, at least not at first, but we’ll get to that.

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Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Rebecca Deniston
·
March 22, 2023
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

The gang from the first Shazam! movie is back, and naturally, everyone’s older, their minds are on other pursuits, and they want to grow up a bit. Not to mention their public image has taken a nosedive, with the group being called the Philadelphia Fiascos because nothing is really going right for them. They might save everyone who’s trapped on…

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Paint (2023)

Rebecca Deniston
·
April 12, 2023
Paint (2023)

Carl Nargle hosts a show called Paint on the Burlington, Vermont PBS station, where he, well, paints some tranquil landscape, often of Mount Mansfield, while giving positive vibes in a soft, soothing voice. Young and old alike watch him every day and smile. “Thank you for going to a special place with me,” he says at the end of every show.

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Hidden Exposure (2023)

Rebecca Deniston
·
June 14, 2023
Hidden Exposure (2023)

We all know it’s the thing for streaming services to produce original content, and it was only a matter of time before Tubi jumped on that bandwagon. They’ve been doing pretty well as of late, seeing as they offer a wide variety of viewing matter, both obscure and

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The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000)

Rebecca Deniston
·
June 21, 2023
The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000)

Audrey Hepburn is beloved, of course, and she’s one of my favorites, too. Naturally it’s a tricky prospect when Hollywood or anyone else tries to bring a legend back to life and the 2000 miniseries tried really, really hard. I don’t know how I missed this series when it was on TV. 2000 was rather a busy year for me, what with graduating from college and…

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The Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

Rebecca Deniston
·
August 9, 2023
The Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

The Meg 2: The Trench is a film I can’t help but be mixed about and I know I’m not alone in this idea. On one hand, it’s really, really cheesy and predictable. On the other hand, it’s a fun popcorn flick. Maybe the title should have been The “Meh” 2: The Shrug.

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Sitting In Bars With Cake (2023)

Rebecca Deniston
·
September 16, 2023
Sitting In Bars With Cake (2023)

Corinne and Jane have been friends for years although they couldn’t be more different. They’ve moved out to LA together after their college graduation, where they work at the same publicity firm, with Corinne as an assistant and Jane in the mail room. Jane is as shy as Corinne is loud, but their friendship works.

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Teddy Told Me To (2023)

Rebecca Deniston
·
October 28, 2023
Teddy Told Me To (2023)

It’s always fun to see movies that break the mold a little bit, and Teddy Told Me To is a brand new slasher movie on Amazon Prime that features YouTubers in cameos. Even though I’m not a slasher fan by any stretch of the imagination, I was still curious, especially once I heard

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What Are You Gonna Do Today, Napoleon? Whatever I Want To. Gosh!

Rebecca Deniston
·
November 22, 2023
What Are You Gonna Do Today, Napoleon? Whatever I Want To. Gosh!

When I saw Napoleon, the theatre was packed and everyone was dead quiet except for the crackling of candy wrappers and the random buzzing of seat recliners. The French Revolution is in full swing, Napoleon is rising in the ranks of the military and in his personal life, and it all looks very impressive. It moves along at a nice clip. Joaquin Ph…

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Invasion of the Astro-Monster (1965)

Rebecca Deniston
·
November 25, 2023
Invasion of the Astro-Monster (1965)

Godzilla Minus One is coming to American theaters as of December first, after enjoying a strong showing in Japan, and I thought it would be cool to look at one of the older titles by way of whetting the proverbial whistle. Heh. 1965’s Invasion of the Astro-Monster

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Mean Girls (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
January 17, 2024
Mean Girls (2024)

Regina George and the Plastics are back, y’all, and according to those involved, it’s not a remake but an addition. Heh. Danged right. Among other changes, this version is a musical. I went into Mean Girls with a wee bit of trepidation because the trailers don’t give any indication that people are going to see a musical. Like, at all. How would…

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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
March 30, 2024
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Somethin’ strange in the neighborhood. Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters! Anyone get the song in their head? Sorry. Anyway, I saw Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire this week and while it’s a ton of fun, I still have thoughts. Obviously. The movie has a lot of the same characters as

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"The Phantom Menace" 25 Years Later

Rebecca Deniston
·
May 15, 2024
"The Phantom Menace" 25 Years Later

My son and I saw The Phantom Menace on the big screen yesterday. It was his first time seeing it in a theater; I saw Phantom at the Colfax Theatre when the movie was new. We had a good time, although I kept wishing we had popcorn (Neither one of us were hungry, and it was only ten AM anyway).

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Atlas (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
May 25, 2024
Atlas (2024)

Another year, another J-Lo Netflix movie. She’s still kicking tail in this one, and she still has a lot of baggage like she did in The Mother, but things have to warm up first. At least she has a real name this time around. Atlas has grown up with an AI android named Harlan, who was her mother’s creation, but she’s not keen on AI and doesn’…

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Despicable Me 4 (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
July 6, 2024
Despicable Me 4 (2024)

Ah yes, the long-anticipated Despicable Me 4! We all know the trailer’s been shown everywhere multiple times and people chuckle every time it comes on, but we also all know there’s often a funny thing about trailers: They may show the best parts of a movie.

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Harold And the Purple Crayon (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
August 10, 2024
Harold And the Purple Crayon (2024)

Who read Harold and the Purple Crayon as a kid? I did. I still like that story. Crockett Johnson’s lovely tale of imagination doesn’t hit a false note, ever. The new movie of the same name, however…

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Uglies (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
September 25, 2024
Uglies (2024)

Uglies is based off of a series of Scott Westerfield novels and takes place in a dystopian future, only it doesn’t seem dystopian. Society has gone away from evil fossil fuels and uses a special white lotus flower as a source of energy instead. Kids are sent to boarding school, where they bide their time in tightly controlled surroundings…

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Killer Heat (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
September 28, 2024
Killer Heat (2024)

Killer Heat looks promising, but the sum total is a resounding “meh.” At least the scenery is gorgeous and we get to see some interesting actors.

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Here (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
November 6, 2024
Here (2024)

Here is the story of a well-loved space inhabited by a de-aged Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The space is just as much of a character as the people. What could possibly go awry? Especially with Robert Zemeckis at the helm? If anyone understands sensitive, unconventional stories spanning several decades it would be the guy who brought us the

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Inheritance (2020)

Rebecca Deniston
·
November 9, 2024
Inheritance (2020)

In the cinematic blur that was 2020, a lot of movies probably got swept under the rug. Inheritance went straight to streaming in America and was shown in theaters overseas, where it made a paltry three-hundred thousand dollars plus change. Did the movie deserve to get left behind? Yeah, pretty much, although it’s an interesting concept and starts ou…

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Heretic (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
November 16, 2024
Heretic (2024)

Lesson One: If someone invites you into their house and then informs you that the walls and ceiling have metal in them, assume this individual is up to no good and vacate the premises as quickly as possible.

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Jingle Bell Love (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
December 4, 2024
Jingle Bell Love (2024)

Joey McIntyre made a movie with Walmart and Roku. Yes, he sings a little. And there are interactive ads. I wish I were kidding, but it’s real, which is both good and downright weird, although not entirely unexpected. Welcome to Jingle Bell Love.

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The Six Triple Eight (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
December 21, 2024
The Six Triple Eight (2024)

It’s a pretty safe bet we’ll always be finding new stories to tell about the Second World War, even as time keeps passing and those who were personally involved pass on. One story that’s gotten all too little attention is that of the 6888th Central Postal Service Battalion, or the Six-Triple-Eight, a remarkable group of WACs who performed a very …

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Sidelined: The QB and Me (2024)

Rebecca Deniston
·
Jan 15
Sidelined: The QB and Me (2024)

Remember when James Van Der Beek played a star quarterback in Varsity Blues? Now he plays the football dad of a star quarterback in Sidelined: The QB and Me. What would Mox think, and for that matter, would Van Der Beek’s former Dawson’s Creek self call it “a thin and pedestrian sports film?”

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