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Friday, November 24, 2017

Act 237: Sorry, 2017

Masked Blogster, Mini Mandy and Jessie have a Thanksgiving podcast at Kevin's house to discuss what is or isn't appropriate in today's culture and whether or not they've crossed the line. This follows a Masked Lib with a very unfortunately placed adjective.

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Justice League (spoiler) Review

It’s time to unite the seven or more accurately the 5 or 6 if we trust one hero won’t be dead the entire movie. At any rate, some of the biggest heroes that DC Comics and Warner Brothers has to offer are coming together on the big screen for the very first time. The production was troubled almost from the beginning as story after story appeared in the news signaling this long awaited film will be a disaster. So does “Justice League” offer up an entertaining story that will make fans of these characters happy or should these super friends have called in sick? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.


The story is brief but written in such a way that, surprisingly, it offers the viewers a chance to think for themselves without being spoon fed every single detail. We get backstories on each of the heroes and we understand (at least I was able to) their motivation for joining together to stop the villain. We are shown brief moments of bonding between the heroes as they become familiar with each other. Also, each hero has a moment to showcase their special ability and what they bring to the team. Finally, we get back story on the villain, his henchmen (the Parademons), and his motivation for world conquest. Each of the main characters is given enough screen time separate from the team to show us who they are and the world they come from. It’s quick paced but it was enough to get the point across in my opinion. However, because of these facts, we don’t get much character development which is a mark against the film. It’s the necessary information only and it worked for me, surprisingly, even though I would’ve enjoyed a bit more on Cyborg & Flash.



The special effects and visual graphics in this movie are not great. They aren’t terrible either. Some moments, like Flash running so fast it looks slow motion, were done well I thought. The way Cyborgs body restructured itself depending on the situation or threat also looked believable. However, the end scene where the villain is defeated and a nuclear wasteland is suddenly transformed into a bizarre garden that looks like it was pulled from Tim Burton’s “Alice and Wonderland” movie was noticeably bad. Also, the big battle scene that takes place to describe who the villain is and why he’s on earth looked awful. However, in that scene we did get to see Amazons, Atlanteans, Humans, Greek Gods & a Green Lantern all fight together which was pretty nice for the comic fans like myself. The Green Lantern appearance was a great surprise and I loved that Easter egg. That alone though is not enough to save the film from the bad visual effects that are prevalent from almost beginning to end.



In all, this film felt like they envisioned 130% of the story and delivered 75-80% on screen. As I watched the plot unfold I felt like the writers had written back stories on back stories and then edited everything down to just a basic understanding of the overall concepts. I imagine the conversation sounding something along the lines of, “We have 5 hours of incredible story written down… here’s all of that in a tweet.” Ok, maybe that’s a gross exaggeration on my part but I do believe the story had so much more depth than what we get on screen. I’m curious to see the “Extended” edition once it’s available on BLU-Ray.



Justice League” is in theaters now! I am going to recommend you see this on the big screen. It’s a quick paced, brief story, that delivers on the basic concept of bad guy fights good guys and loses. That is not to suggest the manner in which the villain is defeated is ordinary. One positive, if not my favorite, aspect of the movie was the clever method used by the writers to end this movie. After battling the Justice League (individually and collectively) it’s the bad guys own fear that sends him reeling back to his home planet surrounded by his minions who feed on fear. I loved the fact the good guys didn’t beat the larger and more powerful villain by sheer force & number. Instead, the villain beat himself. It was quite poetic. I definitely give credit for creative story telling and surprising us with an offbeat ending that definitely worked. Also, some of the humor in this movie really lands well. Go see this filmed stay for TWO post credit scenes!!



Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
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Twitter: @Maskerpiece -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
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Thursday, November 23, 2017

Murder On the Orient Express - Movie Review

The worlds greatest detective is about to enjoy a brief moment of rest aboard a train headed to London, or so he thinks. While on board a murder occurs and everyone is a suspect while Detective Hercule Poirot must solve the crime before it’s too late. Does “Murder on the Orient Express” deliver a thought provoking “whodunnit” mystery or does this story veer off on the wrong track? Let’s dive in and take a look in this SPOILER review.


This film asks a lot from the audience and gives little back in return. First, we’re asked to believe there’s a French version of Sherlock Holmes with a mustache that would’ve made Lemmy Kilmister jealous. Second, we’re asked to tolerate one bad foreign accent after another for almost 2 hours. Thirdly, we’re asked to give a Johnny Depp performance one more chance. Finally, we’re asked to care about a group of people we get to know almost nothing about until the third act of the film. It’s in the conclusion of the film we learn why everyone is important but by then it’s almost too late.



The overall story isn’t about a murder. It isn’t even about all the people in the movie. It’s actually about the detective and his method of solving crimes. This is a very important bit of information to have if you decide to watch this either at home or the theater. I will give credit to the fact they made this key element front and center at the very beginning of the film. I realized the story will revolve about Hercule Poirot and his ability to see things as they are and as they will become. This method of story telling was actually one of the highlights for me from beginning to end. It felt similar to the new “Sherlock Holmes” movies with Robert Downey Jr, however, this was more lighthearted.



Mostly, the talent in this film is all grade A talent, with the exception of Depp who is still struggling to find his voice in a role. Everyone plays their part well for the time they are on screen. As the film progresses we get a little bit more information about each character and their possible motivation for killing a man. However, we get to know so little about the people on the train it was difficult to invest any emotion or thought into them. It felt very surface level and thin and that was not what I was hoping for from this movie.



Murder on the Orient Express” is in theaters now! There are so many other movies that are in theaters right now it’s difficult to recommend you spend your hard earned dollars or time on this particular story. I thought (at best) it’s an ok movie that doesn’t really go anywhere. However, the big reveal of everyone being guilty of murder was a surprise. Unfortunately, the moral of the movie felt like, if everyones guilty than nobody gets in the trouble. Poirot tells the murders that in order for him to stay silent about the crime they’ll need to kill him. They try but it was all a set up because he only wanted to see if they were capable of killing again, or if the murder they committed on the train was a one time deal. After he realizes they’re willing to try and kill again, he says goodbye and leaves the train at the next stop and let’s the murders get away. If you’re confused right now, I’m relaying the plot points of the movie accurately. Go see “Thor Ragnarok” instead of this movie.



Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
Website: abnormalentertainment.com/maskerpiecetheatre
Facebook: /MaskerpieceTheatre and Fan Page
Twitter: @Maskerpiece -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
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Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can support our show  and Abnormal Entertainment on our Support Us page.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Act 236: My Grandma Banged William Shatner

Masked Blogster turns the Masked Libs over to GloryHoundd with Mini Mandy, Frankie G, and Kevin. They discuss GloryHoundd judging a board game competition, bathroom ettiquette, Spider-Man 3, fake apologies, and more!

Get Blasto, the Unmasked sketchbook and more at bunny17media.com. Use the code MASK at checkout for 15% off your purchase!

To listen, click here. To download, right click and "Save As..."


Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
Website: abnormalentertainment.com/maskerpiecetheatre
Facebook: /MaskerpieceTheatre and Fan Page
Twitter: @Maskerpiece -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
Email: maskedblogster@gmail.com
Instagram: maskerpiece_theatre 
Pinterest: /abnormalpodcast/maskerpiece-theatre/
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iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/maskerpiece-theatre/id647535985?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=35990&refid=stpr

Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can support our show  and Abnormal Entertainment on our Support Us page.

Tucson Comic-Con Cosplay

Tucson Comic-Con Experience
Pop Culture For All!


Maskerpiece Theatre and Bunny 17 traveled south to Tucson for the 10th anniversary of the Tucson Comic-Con. This three-day event had celebrity guests, panels and exhibitor booths for everyone.  While it felt like the panels were kind of in a weird place, the Tucson Convention Center was a very friendly host for the con. Even with a hockey game going on one of the nights, the convention staff was friendly and helpful the whole time! Kudos for hosting a fun con ladies and gents!

The Exhibitor hall was set up so well.  No aisle felt too small and there were no issue for anyone with a large cosplay or families with strollers. Everything felt comfortable and easy to access. Not to mention the side doors were open to lead out to the Food Trucks and the Beer Garden. The Food Trucks were delicious, but I do wish there had been a better beer selection in the Beer Garden. 

All in all, the weekend was a good time.


 
























Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
Website: abnormalentertainment.com/maskerpiecetheatre
Facebook: /MaskerpieceTheatre and Fan Page
Twitter: @Maskerpiece -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
Email: maskedblogster@gmail.com
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Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can support our show  and Abnormal Entertainment on our Support Us page.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

"Thor: Ragnarok" Movie Review

Ragnarok is the end of all things. It’s death. It’s destruction. It’s the finale. Now add Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, Odin, Hulk, Doctor Strange, the Grand Master, Surtur the Fire Demon and Hela the Goddess of Death with an abundance of humor and we get “Thor Ragnarok.” Does this third film in the “Thor” franchise live up to the Marvel brand name or should we send this film off to Valhalla? Let’s dive in and take a look in this review.


First, Taika Waititi directing this film was a special touch for the Marvel stable of films. Being known for his dry and sometimes literal comedy we most certainly were treated to many comedic moments from start to finish. I knew walking in to the theater that we’d be getting more comedy than we’re familiar with. Considering the films that came before have all been sprinkled with comedic moments this particular story went above and beyond the status quo. The entire story is peppered with Taika’s familiar style of comedy and I couldn’t have been happier. That being said, there were a few moments where I thought the jokes could’ve been pulled and, just like in “Doctor Strange”, we could’ve let the tension crescendo instead of grow, laugh, grow again. In “Doctor Strange” we get a dramatic build up towards the end only to be ruined by the cloak of levitation wiping his face. In “Thor Ragnarok” we get Bruce Banner accepting the fact he needs to become the Hulk in order to save countless lives. Instead of Bruce having a smooth transition from human to Hulk, we get a quick slap stick style joke that we could’ve done without. Also, When Thor is explaining to Valkyrie what heroes do, he didn’t need to be struck in the head with the bouncing ball. Overall, I was mostly pleased with how the majority of jokes landed.



The story was quick paced. This was one aspect of the film that caught me off guard, in a good way. The movie sets out to cover a lot of ground. First, where has Thor been since “Captain America Civil War” and where has Hulk been since “Avengers: Age of Ultron”? Also, what’s been happening with Loki and Odin? The amount of backstory this movie decided to cover was impressive and I’m glad they did. The story could’ve easily skipped over details but instead we get some back story and it makes sense. Thor has been out looking for infinity stones and while away realizes that something is amiss because the 9 realms are falling into chaos… which shouldn’t be happening because Odin should be keeping things in check. So we get back to Asgard to discover that Thor has defeated Surtur preventing Ragnarok and during that battle he’s made aware Loki is disguised as Odin. From there the story jumps forward and we’re off and running for this particular film. The brief moment we get to see Doctor Strange was fun however almost unnecessary. This very limited cameo did show us that the good Doctor has definitely been getting stronger and more skilled in magic but other than that, sadly, almost not necessary. The entire reason for that cameo is to tell Thor that Odin has chosen seclusion while he waits out his last few days.



The big reveal in this film is the continuing saga of secrets that Odin has kept from those closest to him. Here we are told that Hela, the goddess of death, is actually Thor and Loki’s older sister and rightful heir to the throne of Asgard. There has been no mention of a sister up to this film so that was a pretty big reveal. Her character was also deliciously evil and determined for all the right reasons. She was not simply the goddess of death. She was the rightful heir come to take her place on the throne and exact revenge for being locked away by her father after helping him take control of the 9 realms. She had incredible motivation for her actions which made her role and motivation captivating. Cate Blanchett is in the Top 5 villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and if you disagree I wonder about your taste in story and film.



The trilogy does end by showing that at the end of the day, brotherhood matters. In all, these films are about the relationship between Thor and Loki. That is the heart of these stories. For better or worse, these two are brothers and that makes for great story telling. Kenneth Branagh did a fantastic job in the first Thor film establishing an almost Shakespearean relationship in the house of Odin. This movie continues that theme and does well on how it builds upon it as we move towards “Avengers: Infinity War.” The short speech Odin gives his two sons in this movie is the heart of a father who sees his sons for what they are, what they can still become and what they can still achieve together. It’s this relationship that ultimately saves the day in this movie as well. We find out Odin’s plan and why he chose isolation and why he’s accepted Ragnarok as a reasonable solution. He knows that his death will unleash his daughter who, for the most part, is unstoppable. The only means of destroying her is to destroy Asgard and the only means of accomplishing that is to unleash Ragnarok. Absolutely brilliant storytelling even if it’s subtle in its delivery.



Thor Ragnarok” is in theaters now! I thoroughly enjoyed this film and my time spent in the theater. It is not my favorite of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it’s definitely not my least favorite. This film takes you on a colorful, adrenaline fueled, science fiction adventure, full of laughs (some from adult/crude humor) with the continued theme on the importance of brotherhood. We get to see Thor accept the burden of leadership and become the ruler he was destined to become but in an unconventional way. Finally, Jeff Goldblum as “The Grandmaster” has to be experienced on the big screen in surround sound while he sings “It’s my birthday!” I hope we get to see him and Benicio Del Toro on screen together. This movie has two end credit sequences. So, you’ll want to stay for those. “Thor Ragnarok” is in your local movie theaters right now. Check this film out!



Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
Website: abnormalentertainment.com/maskerpiecetheatre
Facebook: /MaskerpieceTheatre and Fan Page
Twitter: @Maskerpiece -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
Email: maskedblogster@gmail.com
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Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can support our show  and Abnormal Entertainment on our Support Us page.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Act 235: Chris Benoit Balls

Masked Blogster, Mini Mandy, Frankie G, GloryHoundd, and Kevin Moyers go through some crazy Masked Libs before breaking down their weekend at Tucson Comic-Con. They sold books, spent too much on art, toured around Tucson looking for food, saw some interesting locals, and found out how to get a dollar from Frankie G.

Get Blasto, the Unmasked sketchbook and more at bunny17media.com. Use the code MASK at checkout for 15% off your purchase!

To listen, click here. To download, right click and "Save As..."



Follow Maskerpiece Theatre:
Website: abnormalentertainment.com/maskerpiecetheatre
Facebook: /MaskerpieceTheatre and Fan Page
Twitter: @Maskerpiece -Masked Blogster @MaskedBlogster -Mandy @moviefreakgirl -Handsome J @jbrunansky -Matt @MpTheatreMatt
Email: maskedblogster@gmail.com
Instagram: maskerpiece_theatre 
Pinterest: /abnormalpodcast/maskerpiece-theatre/
RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/MaskerpieceTheatre
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/maskerpiece-theatre/id647535985?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=35990&refid=stpr

Maskerpiece Theatre is sponsored by MoviePass. See unlimited movies at a theater near you for a low monthly rate.

You can support our show  and Abnormal Entertainment on our Support Us page.