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Desha Winborne

Film Review: Breaking In

by Desha Winborne

Director: James McTeigue

Writer: Ryan Engle

Cast: Gabrielle Union, Ajiona Alexus, Billy Burke and Richard Cabral

After the murder of her father Shaun Russell is forced to uproot her children and travel to her childhood home. Surrounded by acres of forest and equipped with a state of the art security system, the remote estate is a fortress. Not long after their arrival, the high-tech security system is breached leaving Shaun outside and her children inside held hostage by a band of thieves searching for a hidden safe. With her children held captive and their lives at stake, she will stop at nothing to save her babies. The odds aren’t in her favor, but this mother isn’t going down, without one hell of a fight.

Breaking In is an exciting new role for Gabrielle Union. Known mostly for romantic comedies and cable drama, this is Union’s first foray into the lead in an action thriller. Tapping into her some serious maternal instincts, she is a force to be reckoned with. Shaun Russell is a ferocious character, sharp-tongued and fierce, she is a fighter. At one point she even taps into her Spidey sense dangling precariously from a banister hiding in plain sight. Though much of the film shows Shaun as a bad ass, her movements and skill set aren’t farfetched or improbable. She’s not a navy seal, for heaven’s sake, she’s a desperate mother trying to save her kids.

Union’s familiarity and thrilling action sequences breathed life into a lackluster script. The one-liners and few jokes barely hit the mark.  There are also a few major holes in the story. For instance, the robbers basically tear the place apart searching for hidden treasure but somehow miss the most obvious room in the house. The safe was literally in the first place we would have looked. Also, why would someone go through the trouble of hiding millions in an impenetrable fortress just to tell their assistant?

The thieves were a motley crew of ex-cons just thrown together for this one heist. Why four people are needed for what is clearly a two-man job is not clear. The crew is a predictable bunch, featuring the four basic criminal types: A tech guy, a weakling, a psychopath, and a mastermind.  The psychopath was player by Richard Cabral who served up crazy cholo realness. He’s hot-headed and careless, the biggest threat to the children, especially the daughter. While he was perfectly creepy, he wasn’t the “muscle” one would expect. He’s scrawny but mean and aggressive like a stray pit bull. We’re pretty sure the kids could have taken him out given the right circumstances. The leader of the thieves was portrayed by Billy Burke. Twilight fans will remember him as Charlie Swan, Bella’s dad. As a mastermind, he leaves much to be desired. He was cool and calculated but the script didn’t give him any good lines. We were happy to see him finally get what he deserved, but not nearly as happy as we were to see the psychopath go.

Breaking In may have had a few holes in the script but it delivers pulse-pounding action in nearly every scene. The fights scenes are intense and impactful, keeping us thoroughly entertained throughout the nearly 90-minute film.

Since it’s Mother’s Day weekend, take your mom out to see this film.

Breaking In hits theaters this Friday!

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Film Review: Rampage

by Desha Winborne

Director: Brad Peyton

Writer: Ryan Engle

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Ackerman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Davis Okoye is a gentle animal loving Primatologist who finds himself battling government forces in an attempt to save his best friend George an Albino Gorilla he adopted. A failed genetic experiment causes George to mutate into an aggressive 30-foot beast. Ordinary means are unable to contain George as he and several other altered beasts wreak havoc on Downtown Chicago. To save his friend and the innocent people of Chicago, Davis must join forces with the most heinous beast of all, man.

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Film Review: Truth or Dare

by Desha Winborne

Director: Jeff Wadlow

Writer: Jillian Jacobs and Michael Reisz

Cast: Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey, Violett Beane and Sophia Ali

Celebrating their last night of Spring Break, a group of friends engages in an innocent game of Truth or Dare. Their fun takes a creepy turn as the game morphs into a life or death struggle. Armed with only their wits, the friends are forced to play the game that pits them against one another or face a grisly death.

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Photo Credit: Andrew Werner

Sushi Roxx is one of NYC’s most unique dining experiences. The trendy Japanese eatery is also a theater of sorts with nightly performances by some of the city’s most talented singers and dancers, who also happen to be part of the wait staff. In between courses, your server may be belting out a classic on the mainstage or twirling around the room in an intricate dance number. We attended a performance once before and were delighted to return to preview their latest show and sample a few new menu items. Among the new menu items are grilled shishito peppers, a spicy light alternative to classic edamame and four new sushi rolls. The new rolls feature an assortment of delectable ingredients such as caviar, crispy nori, snow crab, and lobster. We highly recommend the Van Halen, its a sweet fresh roll with just a hint of spice. We washed down the tasty treats with a few specialty cocktails. One of the newest on the menu is the Black Panther a gin and berry cocktail that is aromatic and refreshing.


There are three different themed performances on their weekly schedule. Wednesday nights you can catch their “I Love Roxx and Roll” compilation of hits. Thursday evenings are an homage to classics with their throwback set playfully entitled “Boogie Nights”. Lastly, starting April 13th Friday and Saturday nights will be devoted to “We Will Roxx You” their latest show of choreographed dance numbers and popular covers. The setlist for this show includes well-known hits from Aerosmith, Van Halen, Journey and Lenny Kravitz to name a few. Sushi Roxx is an entertaining evening of food, cocktails, and music that will leave you hungry for more. Visit SushiRoxxNYC.com for reservations.

Photo Credit: Andrew Werner
Photo Credit: Andrew Werner
Photo Credit: Andrew Werner
Photo Credit: Andrew Werner
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The New York International Auto Show

by Desha Winborne

The NYC International Auto Show descends on New York City this week. Car enthusiasts from all over converge at the Javits Center for a week-long celebration of the automobile. From classic to futuristic the event covers a wide range of styles and price points. The show puts the trends of tomorrow on full display, with every major manufacturer in the U.S. is presenting their latest innovations, concept cars, race cars and even a few autonomous cars. The NY International Auto Show began over 100 years ago. Back then the car was a fascinating machine ahead of its time. The thought that man could travel in a horseless carriage was unheard of. For a long time innovations made the basic car more comfortable. Innovations like power doors and air conditioning are now standard. Each year auto manufacturers explore new concepts and trends to satisfy our growing desire for technological advancement. One of the latest and most intriguing trends is the self-driving car. Autonomous vehicles are set to hit the market and fulfill all of our multitasking needs. The cars aren’t only on display but in testing on our city streets throughout the country.

The event began Wednesday, March 28th with the World Car Awards, an annual event that celebrates the best in automobiles. This year’s winners included:

  • 2018 World Car of the Year
    Volvo XC60
  • 2018 World Luxury Car
    Audi A8
  • 2018 World Performance Car
    BMW M5
  • 2018 World Car Design of the Year
    Range Rover Velar
  • 2018 World Green Car
    Nissan LEAF
  • 2018 World Urban Car
    Volkswagen Polo

You can see all of the winners at the New York Auto Show from March 30th until April 8th. In addition to the prize winners manufacturers from all over the globe are presenting the best of their catalogs as well as a few concept vehicles engineered to show the future of automobiles today. One of the most sought after innovations is the self driving car and there are a few on display at the show. One of the leaders in the innovation is Ford Motors. Dominoes has partnered with Ford to test an autonomous food delivery service. The trial run will allow manufacturers to test how consumers interact with an autonomous vehicle. If all goes well this could open the door for other types of deliveries and other more practical applications.

Toyota has also entered the race for autonomous vehicles with their futuristic concept car. Their innovative vehicle is not only autonomous it is also a mobile office with touch screen windows and swivel style seating. All of the seats swivel including the driver’s.

Not all innovations are about technical advancements. Modern style is also on display as new colors and sleeker bodies are presented by all. One of our favorite new looks is Karma’s Revero. The body is sleek and modern but it is the unique shade of brown that has us drooling. The brown is rich and iridescent. The paint catches the lights and it glitters beautifully.

Orange in shades from neon to rust is being embraced by manufacturers and offered in a wide array of styles. This sexy Chevrolet Corvette is gorgeous and packs some serious horsepower.

The show also offers a glimpse of nostalgia with some of our favorite old school toys. If you ever owned or played with a hot wheel track make sure you visit the Hot Wheels Corvette, a life-size model complete with the blue race track.

One of the most fun aspects of the Auto Show is the interactive elements. This year guests can experience a VR thrill ride courtesy of Chevrolet. The ride is a 4D road experience complete with VR head-gear and moving seats.

Some innovations are more practical than technological, like this dog-friendly car for parents of fur babies. The vehicle comes equipped with ramp separator and other pet-friendly amenities.

If you need a moment of relaxation after the excitement of the show drop by the oxygen bar for a hit of fresh air with a hint of herb and fruity aroma.

The New York International Auto Show is held at the Jacob Javitz convention center from March 30th through April 8th. For more info visit Autoshowny.com

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Location: 93 MacDougal Street, New York N.Y. 10012

Cuisine: Italian (Pizza)

Best Dish: The pasta was tasty and the meatballs unforgettable but the pizza reigns supreme.

Price:$$

Overall: A quaint restaurant with old-school charm and amazing pizza. An ideal option for all pizza/pasta lovers.

New Yorkers know good pizza, we all possess the innate ability to ferret out the very best in saucy cheesy goodness. As a result, the argument over the best in the big apple is one that will rage on to infinity. Each boro has their go-to pizza place, one of Staten Island’s favorites is Denino’s Pizzeria & Tavern. 

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Film Review: Love, Simon

by Desha Winborne

Director: Greg Berlanti

Writers: Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker

Cast: Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Clark Moore

Simon Spier is an average, teenager with good friends, a loving family, and one big secret, he’s gay. Unbeknownst to his family and friends his secret is a massive burden, threatening to crush him. His burden gets a little easier to bear when he begins an email love affair with an anonymous classmate. This budding romance gives Simon a courage he never knew he had. Just as things start to heat up, tragedy strikes. A classmate discovers their secret emails and threatens to expose the affair. Burdened with a big secret and now blackmailed because of it, Simon must decide whether it is easier to be imprisoned by his hidden love or to be freed by his truth and accept all the changes it brings.

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Travel agencies are slowly dying out. Booking your own travel arrangements has become as easy making a phone call. With the click of a button, an entire vacation package can be purchased. Though the need for a travel agent is dwindling companies like Mr. & Mrs. Smith are flourishing, by offering unique experiences for travelers. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a travel club that specializes in small boutique hotels. We met with the founders and some of their club members for an evening of cocktails and a panel discussion on the future of travel. The intimate gathering was hosted by Public a fairly new boutique hotel owned by real estate mogul Ian Schrager.

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