CliqueClack

Dexter – Who framed Zach Hamilton?

Let me start out by noting that, yes, this is a theory I’d had; I don’t really know who framed Zach. I do, however, love to speculate and cast theories about like I’m some sort of expert. Hey now — I’ve been right before!

Let’s get this out of the way right now: Quinn did not set up Zach. It makes no sense, based on Quinn’s questioning Cassie’s boyfriend later in the episode. It’s remotely possible he was there hoping to gather a sliver of evidence to help make his case, but that’s simply just weak. Quinn would be an easy suspect for setting up Zach if it wasn’t for this scene alone.

This brings up Cassie’s boyfriend. In that same scene, while Quinn is interrogating him, he has the opportunity to easily reel Zach into the trap he would have set … except he seems to have not set it. Instead, he simply and quite honestly says Zach “looks familiar” to him. This makes sense, as he did see Zach outside Dexter’s apartment quite recently! More on this part later. …

So, who set up Zach? Vogel? Nope. The real Brain Surgeon? Nope; doesn’t make sense.

It was Angel Batista.

Continue reading 'Dexter — Who framed Zach Hamilton?' »

Win passes to see You’re Next in Baltimore, DC and Norfolk

This contest is now closed. Winners will be notified by email. Follow @CliqueClack on Twitter for alerts about contests, news and reviews!

CliqueClack has partnered once again with Lionsgate and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer readers in the Baltimore, DC and Norfolk areas a chance to see the new thriller You’re Next before it opens in theaters on August 23rd. The screenings will take place as follows:

• Wednesday, August 21, 7:00 PM, Regal Gallery Place, Washington, DC
• Wednesday, August 21, 7:00 PM, AMC White Marsh, Baltimore, MD
• Wednesday, August 21, 7:00 PM, Regal Columbus 12, Virginia Beach, VA

To be entered into the random drawing, please read and follow the rules …

Continue reading 'Win passes to see You’re Next in Baltimore, DC and Norfolk' »

Lee Daniels’ The Butler succeeds in spite of itself

Meet Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), the star of Lee Daniels’ The Butler. Cecil grew up in the South, working on a cotton plantation with his parents. The owner (played by Vanessa Redgrave) has a son, Thomas (Alex Pettyfer), who brutalizes Cecil’s mother Hattie (Mariah Carey in an unglamorous, wordless cameo) and shoots Cecil’s father in the head after he dares approach Thomas after he rapes Hattie. Cecil is brought into the house and taught the ways of being a good “house n—–” which he carries with him into adulthood. Working in various restaurants and hotels, he is spotted by R.D. Warner who notes Cecil’s apolitical response to a patron who asks him about desegregation. Warner oversees the staff at the White House, and Cecil is given a job as a butler specifically because of his discretion.

But The Butler isn’t just about the life of Cecil Gaines (based on the real life of Eugene Allen). It’s also the story of the Civil Rights movement in America which had begun to really simmer in the 50s during the Eisenhower administration. Where Cecil’s story is ultimately uplifting, it’s almost a bit too movie-of-the-week trite as it becomes overshadowed by the more harrowing aspects of America’s racist history. Cecil’s oldest son Louis (David Oyelowo) decides that he needs to be a part of the movement, partly because it’s something his parents have tried to protect him from and partly because he’s ashamed of his father’s occupation (associating him with Sidney Poitier, whom he refers to as a “rich Uncle Tom”). Through Louis’ eyes we see key moments like the fire-bombing of a Freedom Riders bus.

Continue reading 'Lee Daniels’ The Butler succeeds in spite of itself' »

In a World… has a funny and charming voice about voice overs

Words have power. That’s not really a point of contention, but it leads me easily to my next slightly radical opinion: voiceovers matter. Think about it. How often do you hear a voice telling you information or what to do? Sure, the soothing electronic sounds of a computer have gotten more and more reasonable from the old days of cringe-worthy voices. But whether it’s a commercial for anti-beans or a sexual harassment video, the voice makes a different. Soothing versus harsh, a mild accent or an exaggerated one, all of these things affect the context and your perception. Even so, movie trailers, which used to be filled with voice overs, are increasingly more and more just text, sound, explosions, and music. Many guesses can be made as to why this has changed. Perhaps it’s because audiences don’t like being told explicitly what a movie is about anymore? Unlikely, as trailers still often give an awful lot away (usually). Or perhaps it’s because it’s just shifted after the “voice of god,” legendary voiceover artist Don LaFontaine, passed away in 2008. You know the guy … he popularized starting trailers with “In a world…” before giving you the business. That’s certainly what this movie tries to say; at least until you get to the commentary on institutionalized sexism.

Continue reading 'In a World… has a funny and charming voice about voice overs' »

Kick-Ass 2 proves you don’t have to be a badass to be a hero

One of the main points of Universal Pictures’ Kick-Ass 2 is that you don’t have to be a badass to be considered a hero — you just have to be brave and willing to stand up for the right thing, no matter what the consequences may be. What I love most about this series’ premise is that it’s really about a superhero who is kind of like an anti-superhero if you really think about it. You don’t have to be the smartest, the fastest, the richest or even the brawniest as long as your heart is in it for the right reasons.

Kick-Ass doesn’t have special powers given to him because he’s an alien or because he was involved in a freak accident. Nor is he a playboy billionaire armed with a million gadgets and a butler at his beck and call. Perhaps I’m romanticizing it a bit, but I think there’s a lot to be said about average, everyday people deciding to don homemade capes and tights to stand up for truth, justice and the American way. That and he’s nerdy. I really dig a nerdy hero because that’s someone I can identify with and root for in the end.

Continue reading 'Kick-Ass 2 proves you don’t have to be a badass to be a hero' »

I gave up cable over a year ago, and I haven’t looked back

I spent many hours of my life yelling at the FiOS people. Many, sad, frustrating, why-is-this-what-I’m-doing-with-my-life hours. Mysterious charges of several hundred dollars would appear, and no one I talked to would have any explanation. Some promised it was a mistake that would get taken off, some told me it was legitimate and I had to pay it — yet nobody knew what the charge was. It took months and finally bitching on Twitter before I was able to get some answers. But by that time I was done. Why was I paying $150 a month for the privilege of spending hours of my life talking to clueless and/or rude customer service agents who cared not one whit about customer service, AKA two-thirds of their job title?

Around this time, I bought an Apple TV. Now I had an easy way to watch Netflix on my television, instead of my laptop or iPad. Then Apple finally released the Hulu Plus app, and I came to a realization: 100% of everything I watch is on DVR anyway, so at the very earliest, I’m watching it a day after — sometimes a week after. Plus, Hulu Plus had the majority of the shows that I watched available the next day. And it was cheap! And I didn’t have to spend hours yelling at people! So after a few months of hemming and hawing, I cut the cord and ditched cable. Continue reading 'I gave up cable over a year ago, and I haven’t looked back' »

Win a free pass to see The World’s End in Baltimore or DC

This contest is now closed. Winners will be notified by email. Follow @CliqueClack on Twitter for alerts on contests, news and reviews.

CliqueClack has partnered with Focus Features and Allied Integrated Marketing to give our readers in the Baltimore and DC areas a chance to see the final film in the Cornetto Trilogy, The World’s End, before anyone else (the other two being Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, but you already knew that). The screenings will take place as follows:

• Thursday, August 22, 7:00 PM, AMC White Marsh, Baltimore, MD
• Thursday, August 22, 7:00 PM, AMC Mazza, Washington, DC

To win your Admit Two pass, all you have to do is read and follow the instructions!

Continue reading 'Win a free pass to see The World’s End in Baltimore or DC' »

Win free passes to see The Grandmaster in DC

This contest is now closed. Winners will be notified by email. Follow @CliqueClack on Twitter for updates on contests, news and reviews.

CliqueClack has partnered with The Weinstein Company and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer readers in the DC area a chance to attend an advance screening of the film The Grandmaster which tells the story of Ip Man, the legendary teacher of Bruce Lee. The screening will be held on Wednesday, August 21, 7:30 PM at Landmark E Street Cinema. To enter the drawing, simply leave a comment below telling us why you want to see this film. 20 winners will be selected at random and awarded a unique GoFoBo code good for up to two Admit One passes. Please read and follow the official rules …

Continue reading 'Win free passes to see The Grandmaster in DC' »

Win passes to a DC screening of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

This contest is now closed. Winners will be notified by email. Follow @CliqueClack on Twitter for alerts on contests, review and news.

CliqueClack has partnered with Sony Pictures and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer our readers in the DC area a chance to be among the first to see the new film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones! The screening will be held Monday, August 19, 7:00 PM at Regal Gallery Place. All you need to do is leave us a comment telling us why you are excited to see this movie. 50 comments will be selected at random, and winners will receive a unique GoFoBo code to download up to two Admit One passes. Please read and follow the instructions on how to enter this contest …

Continue reading 'Win passes to a DC screening of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones' »

Win free passes to The Spectacular Now in Baltimore, August 15

CliqueClack has partnered with A24 and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer readers in the Baltimore area free passes to see the critically acclaimed The Spectacular Now. The advance screening will take place Thursday, August 15, 7:00 PM at the Charles Theater. To get your free passes, simply leave a comment on this post. The first 75 comments will receive a GoFoBo code which will allow you to print out up to two Admit One passes. Winners will be contacted by email, so please make sure your email address is entered into the form correctly. Do not put your email address in the comment box as this is a public forum.

Please note that passes do not guarantee seats. Seating is first-come, first-served, so please plan to arrive early. CliqueClack has no control over the number of passes distributed or seating at the theater.

Check out the trailer after the break, and let us know that you want to see this film! The Spectacular Now opens in Baltimore on August 23rd.

Continue reading 'Win free passes to The Spectacular Now in Baltimore, August 15' »