Being Human: even monsters need roomies

I’m wrapping up my “British Invasion” segment (because, sadly, this is the only other BBC show I’ve seen) with Being Human. Now, fellow Americans, let me clarify: this is not the show of the same title you may have seen on the Syfy channel. I’m talking about the original show, which first aired in the U.K. in 2008. From what I understand, the American version

The Conjuring: everything horror should be

Since this is my first horror film review, I’m going to take a minute to vent by saying that I hate a solid 50 to 75 percent of recent horror films out there. Horror has become synonymous with gore, and I absolutely cannot stand an abundance of grossness. Why would I want to pay for a movie that I can’t even watch because it’s so disgusting? If I’m dishing out money for a pricey movie ticket

Merlin: a bromantic take on Camelot

Another “British Invasion” TV review for a show that, sadly, finished up last year for U.K. fans and earlier this year for U.S. fans: Merlin. I don’t know if it gained a lot of traction across the pond, but in the States Merlin seemed to remain a hidden gem on the Syfy channel. Although it’s hard to draw attention

Red 2: same old agents, but enough new tricks?

Generally, I’m not drawn to FBI/CIA/police action films. So many of them come out each year, yet so few of them have truly memorable plots or characters. I usually forget the details of these cookie cutter films within a few days of seeing them. But Red sticks out to me as a cut above the rest.

How to Train Your Dragon 2!!

I was just talking about the first of these movies in my review of Despicable Me 2! The trailer doesn’t reveal much…but still, who’s excited?!

Doctor Who: the weird and the wonderful

My “British Invasion” TV reviews continue! Time to cover a classic—a show that has been a staple of British television for nearly 50 years (in fact, the show has a 50^th anniversary special coming up in November). I am talking, of course, about Doctor Who. While this show has always been steadily popular across the pond, it’s taken a while for the U.S. to catch on. In fact

Sherlock: classic sleuth, modern twist

While there’s a lull in my movie-going schedule, I thought I’d take some time to address the other half of my little blogging endeavor: TV reviews! I’m going to try to stick to a series of themes for my TV reviews. Why themes? Because themes are fun! I’d like to start with a “British Invasion” theme because lately, I just can’t get enough of the BBC.

Despicable Me 2: the return of the minions

You know what? I love kids’ movies. No shame. Pixar’s Up and DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon are easily among my all-time favorite movies, closely followed by the likes of Toy Story 3, Kung Fu Panda, and The Emperor’s New Groove. And I think I’ve finally figured out why I love them

Now You See Me: the clever crime of Ocean’s Eleven plus the magic of David Copperfield

Is it just me, or has this movie kind of flown under the radar? Surrounded by big, much-advertised summer films, Now You See Me seems to have gotten lost in the fray. But I distinctly remember getting excited about the trailer when I first saw it. With names like Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, and Mark Ruffalo