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Book Review: The Case of the Dangerous Dowager by Earl Stanley Gardner (1937)

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Synopsis: When Matilda Benson wants to hire attorney Perry Mason to help negotiate a payoff of her granddaughter Sylvia's gambling debt to Sam Grieb, he reluctantly agrees. However, when Grieb is eventually found murdered, Sylvia becomes the primary suspect with Mason facing charges as an accessory. The attorney must work quickly to prove his client's innocence before the police arrest him.

Review: Our local library is still closed because of this COVID pandemic. However, they did start allowing people to have books mailed to them and I took advantage of that. Since I didn't really know what I wanted, I figured I would give Perry Mason another try. And, as it turns out, this book became one of my favorites from the series.
Overall, this is a great locked-room mystery. There are a bunch of potential suspects, including Grieb's partner, Charlie Duncan. However, the fact there was only one entrance and eye witnesses laid out a timeline that implicated either Sylvia or Mason…
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Movie Review: The Wrong Missy (2020)

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Synopsis: Three months after a blind date ended in disaster (and a dislocated ankle) Tim Morris is in a bit of a romantic slump and faces attending a Hawaiian company retreat without a significant other, something that could cost him a shot at a promotion. He thinks his luck is changing when he accidentally switches luggage with a former beauty pageant winner at the airport and they immediately hit it off. But, when he texts her an invite to join him in Hawaii, he accidentally sends the invitation to his insane former blind date instead.
Who's in it? The movie stars David Spade, Lauren Lapkus, Nick Swardson, Molly Sims and Geoff Pierson.

Review: When my wife and I wound up watching this Netflix original this past weekend, it was not without some skepticism on my part. The preview made the movie look like something we would want to watch. But, previews tend to be a bit misleading, especially when it comes to comedies, so I had my doubts. However, it turned out to be a funny film.
I…
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Movie Review: The First Purge (2018)

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Synopsis: After a new political party, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) takes control of the government, they announce a social experiment on Long Island that will make all crime, including murder, legal for 12 hours and offer residents financial compensation for participating. As Long Island's residents plan to hide in their homes or attend parties, the NFFA takes steps to ensure their experiment will be successful.
Who's in it? The movie stars Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, Y'lan Noel, Marisa Tomei and Rotimi Paul.

Review: To tell you the truth, I was a bit disappointed when I got this movie from Netflix yesterday. I've never been a huge fan of the Purge movies and, while I did have this on my DVD list, it was way at the bottom. However, since there wasn't much on TV last night except re-runs of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, my wife and I wound up watching it. And, as it turns out, it was better than I expected it to be.
I think the thing I found i…
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Movie Review: Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

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Synopsis: Three years after finally tracking down and killing his sister, Michael Myers is secretly living in his old house in Haddonfield. When a reality TV series decides to film in his house, he wastes little time hunting down the inhabitants.
Who's in it? The movie stars Brad Loree, Busta Rhymes, Bianca Kajlich, Sean Patrick Thomas,Tyra Banks and Daisy McCrackin.

Review: I was under the impression my wife and I had seen this film before. However, when we wound up picking it out on VUDU last night, I realized that was not the case. We might have seen bits and pieces of it before but neither one of us remembered actually seeing the entire film. And, as it turns out, I didn't hate this.
OK, to start out, let me say this movie does have a lot wrong with it. For example, the film never properly explains how Michael (Loree) could live in his house for three years and nobody noticed. Did he really go that long without killing anyone (and why?). And, what the heck was that part about…
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Movie Review: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

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Synopsis: On Halloween in 1968, Stella, Auggie and Chuck show their new friend, Ramon, an abandoned mansion that once belonged to one of their town's founding families, the Bellows. When Stella finds a book of hand-written stories in a secret room, she decides to bring it home with her. This, in turn, angers the spirit of Sarah Bellow's, the family's abused daughter. One-by-one, Stella's friends become endangered as Sarah adds new stories to her book.
Who's in it? The movie stars Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams and Austin Zajur.

Review: While I understand the need to attract younger audiences to the movie theater, I fully believe the new PG-13 standard has ruined potentially memorable horror films. Sadly, this movie, which I mostly watched to appease my 15-year-old, is a film that falls into that category.
Overall, I thought the premise of this movie was a good one. Yes, there was some familiarity with it. But, the idea of a ghost tha…
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Movie Review: Don't Hang Up (2016)

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Synopsis: Teenage friends Brady, Sam, Jeff and Roy (a.k.a PrankMonkey69) get a kick out of making elaborate prank calls and posting the results on the internet. When Sam begins having relationship issues with his girlfriend, Peyton, Brady decides to cheer him up by pulling off a few more pranks. However, things turn sinister when the mysterious Mr. Lee hijacks their phones and electronics
Who's in it? The movie stars Gregg Sulkin, Garrett Clayton, Bella Dayne, Edward Killingback and Jack Brett Anderson.

Review: My wife wanted to watch a scary movie after her virtual kickboxing class yesterday evening so, while she was showering, I went in search of one. After a while, I settled for this movie, which I found on VUDU.
To tell you the truth, I wasn't really expecting to like this movie, partly because it seemed like it would be  very similar to another film I've already seen, really predictable or both. However, it turned out to be better than expected.
I think the thing I liked …
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Movie Review: The Addams Family (2019)

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Synopsis: After having their wedding disrupted by a torch-bearing mob, Gomez and Morticia Addams move to New Jersey and make their home in an abandoned insane asylum, where they eventually raise a family. Thirteen years later, they face a new threat, a reality show host who sees the Addams home as a blight on her newly-remodeled perfect community and is willing to take extreme measures to protect her investment.
Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard and Bette Midler.

Review: When I first saw a trailer for this movie a few months ago, I thought it looked kind of dumb. However, the 1991 movie was a pleasant surprise and its sequel wasn't as bad as I thought it would be so, ultimately, I decided to give this animated film the benefit of the doubt and add it to my Netflix DVD queue.
We watched the movie as a family last night and, as it turns out, I was right the first time. This was actually kind of dumb.
I th…
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