Yes/No Detroit

I really don't even know how to review this one, but I'll give it a shot. Life Itself  separates itself into three distinct chapters, focusing on three different heroes/heroines, and is quite different from how the the trailer might lead you to believe. The pretty vague IMDb synopsis is: As a young New York couple goes from college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, the unexpected twists of their journey create reverberations that echo over continents and through lifetimes. In reality, the movie has three chapters, like I just mentioned. At the beginning of the movie, we meet Will (Oscar Isaac), who is severely depressed because his wife has "left him"—that's his wording. He has been in an institution for three months and is now out, and is doing therapy sessions with Dr. Morris (Annette Bening). We also see flashbacks of him and his wife, Abby (Olivia Wilde), and we see how happy they were; they meet in college, later get married, ...

Last night, I attended a red carpet screening of White Boy Rick , at Emagine Novi. I didn't know much about the actual case before seeing the film, except that Rick Wershe Jr. grew up on the streets of Detroit in the 1980s and eventually became a drug dealer; because of the Detroit connection, I found the movie to be very interesting. Richard Wershe Jr. (newcomer Richie Merritt, starring in his very first film) lives with his dad, Rick Sr. (Matthew McConaughey) and his sister, Dawn (Bel Powley), in a small house in Detroit. His father sells guns—not always legally—and Rick Jr. wants a better life for his family. One day, he's approached by two FBI agents (Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rory Cochrane, respectively) who want something from him: they want him to buy cocaine so that they can get some information about the local drug dealers. Rick agrees, and later, once he's done cooperating with them, he starts buying and selling cocaine on his own, which eventually leads to his...

Dunkin' Donuts is amping up for the Valentine's Day holiday by releasing some seasonal flavors this month! Read more about the flavors below, and enter to win a $25 Dunkin' Donuts gift card. Dunkin’ Donuts is ready for Valentine’s Day by showing a little extra heart at the donut case. Dunkin’ Donuts’ famous festive heart-shaped donuts return today, and this year the brand is bringing guests beloved Valentine varieties along with a special seasonal surprise of sweet new names for its donut and MUNCHKINS donut hole treats. Dunkin’ Donuts’ swoon-worthy selection of Valentine’s Day donuts includes the Vanilla Truffle Donut, a heart-shaped donut filled with vanilla-flavored buttercreme, frosted with vanilla icing and topped with semi-sweet chocolate curls. The Brownie Batter Crumble Donut is a heart-shaped donut filled with rich chocolatey brownie batter filling, frosted with chocolate icing and crumbled brownies, and Cupid’s Choice Donut is a heart-shaped donut filled wit...

We are the weirdos, mister. Nancy, The Craft Enter to win a swag pack from the iconic movie The Craft ! And read more about what's on COMET TV in January, below: FILMS ON COMET IN JANUARY The Craft (1996) Teen movies might want you to believe that high school was all about keggers and beautiful cheerleaders, but we prefer The Craft’s version of events. Featuring a quartet of angsty teens who turn to witchcraft in the face of personal high school horrors, The Craft casts a spell that leaves you wishing you had an occult stor on your local main street. Friday, January 12 at 8P/7C Saturday, January 13 at 8P/7C Sunday, January 21 at 6P/5C Monday, January 22 at 8P/7C Labyrinth (1986) January will mark the second anniversary of the day we lost pop culture legend David Bowie, so this month’s COMET is honoring his memory in the best way we coul think of .... by screening one of the most iconic roles of his career. Back in 1986, Bowie stole the show as the Goblin King...

credit: moviepass.com First off, this is NOT a sponsored post. I've been a member of MoviePass —the $9.99 a month program, not the new $89.99/year program—since the end of September, and people keep asking me if it's worth it. I figured I'd write a post about it that will talk about my experience with it, and also answer any questions that people might have. credit: moviepass.com I was one of the first people to sign up for MoviePass back in August or September when the $9.99/month deal was announced. As my long-time blog readers know, this blog used to be called Yes/No Films, because I see a LOT of movies. Matinees in my area (Detroit area) are around $6-7, and night movies are $10-12, so to see UNLIMITED movies (1 per day) with MoviePass for only $9.99 a month sounded like a great deal. When you order an e-ticket, this is the confirmation screen. What you can do with MoviePass: You can see one movie per CALENDAR day.  I swear this used to be per 24-ho...

The newest Thor movie has arrived, and I have to say that it's my favorite of the three. Between Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and  Thor: Ragnarok , this installment definitely has more humor throughout, and between that and its special effects, it's very fun to watch. Thor's father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), has just passed away, and it's revealed that Thor and Loki have a sister, Hela (Cate Blanchett). Hela wants Asgard for herself, and doesn't care if she has to burn it down to do it. In the meantime, however, Thor has been kidnapped, to a planet run by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), and he must fight the Grandmaster's Champion in order to stay alive. The Champion, however, ends up being the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and later, Thor and Hulk attempt to escape to get back to Asgard. There were a lot of new faces in this film, and even though Natalie Portman doesn't appear ("It was a mutual breakup!" Thor insists), we don't really ...

Home Again is a chick flick, but isn't really your typical fare—the heroine and her husband are separated, and she wasn't really looking to date. However, when she meets a (much younger) guy in a bar when she is celebrating her birthday, those circumstances start to change. Alice Kinney (Reese Witherspoon) recently moved herself and her two daughters back to L.A., her hometown, from NYC. She and her husband, Austen (Michael Sheen), are separated, and for now he is staying in NYC, as he works for a major music label and is busy signing up-and-coming stars to the label. For her 40th birthday, Alice goes out to a bar with some friends, and ends up meeting three younger guys, who are about to be kicked out of the motel they've been staying at; the guys are aspiring filmmakers, too. Her friends and the guys end up all going back to her place, and the next day, happen to meet her mom, Lillian (Candice Bergen) and her kids, when her mom drops them off for school. The guys e...

This week was fairly busy for me with traveling—I headed to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for my day job, where I visited quinoa fields and learned all about quinoa. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan What I've been up to this week: Saskatchewan trip.  I was there from Monday to Wednesday, and had to connect in Minneapolis on the way there (3-hour layover which went to 4.5-hours when my flight was delayed, yay ...) and Toronto on the way back. I can't say I'd EVER connect in Toronto again, as I had to go through maybe three different customs lines. My trip, though, was very fun, and I was put up in a suite at The James , which was maybe the nicest hotel room I've stayed at in quite a while. I had never visited Saskatchewan before, too (only Ontario), and it's very beautiful, especially by the river area. Eating delicious things.  This week is Troy Restaurant Week , and I took my boyfriend to The Melting Pot on Sunday, for both TRW and an early birthday dinner for him. I w...

Before I saw a screening of The Glass Castle , I knew it was based upon a book - however, for some reason, I thought the book was a fiction novel, so imagine my surprise when I realized it's nonfiction. The Glass Castle has a fantastic cast, which helps bring this novel to life, and now I want to read the book. Jeannette (Brie Larson) has recently become engaged, to David (Max Greenfield), who works in finance. When they go out to dinner with his clients, she talks about how her father works with electricity, and how her mother is a painter; what she doesn't mention is, although technically they do both of these things, they're also homeless, and she saw them downtown the other night sifting through garbage. Through flashbacks, we see Jeannette and her siblings' childhood, and how her father (Woody Harrelson) was an alcoholic, and couldn't hold down a job. Her mother, Rose Mary (Naomi Watts), was a great painter, but never actually sold any paintings. Because of...

*Disclosure: I was treated to a tasting at Noodles in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own . Last week, I was able to attend a tasting at the Noodles & Company located in Novi, MI, to try out their new Pasta Fresca dish. I say "new" but it's actually a returning favorite, and is going to be a permanent addition on the menu - it's one of my favorite dishes so that's good news to hear! We started off with some salads and their new Thai soup, another favorite of mine. Pictured above is the Chicken Veracruz Salad, which consists of mixed greens, tomatoes, red onions, chili-lime chicken, bacon crumbles, fresh-cut corn, avocados, and cilantro, tossed with jalapeno ranch dressing and crispy jalapenos. It's a little spicy for me but I liked the chicken in it. We also had some potstickers, which is my favorite appetizer to order at Noodles. The potstickers come with a mild spice soy sauce, and they're made out of ch...

This was year 4 for me of the Cinetopia Film Festival , and every year I find movies that I really enjoy, that I probably would not have seen / been able to see otherwise. Although I was at Cedar Point one of the weekend days, I was still able to see about 13 to 14 movies - I saw half of one movie, only because we were rushing to get to another, and I walked out of one movie too (which I rarely do, by the way) because 3 of the 4 people in our group fell asleep during it ... it was very slow and not very funny, even though it was supposed to be a comedy. So let's say 13 movies, then! Thursday, June 1st: Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor The Hero .   This movie, like most of the movies on this list, was on my " Top 10 Picks for Cinetopia " list that I published back in May, and it did not disappoint. It followed an actor who is getting older (Sam Elliott) and showed how he was struggling to book good acting jobs; he also was recently diagnosed with cancer, and must tel...

*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 b...

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 ...

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...

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, 1...

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.

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...