How to Make a Killing

My View: How to Make a Killing  (2026)  R  How to Make a Killing is about Becket (Glen Powell), who was told by his mother when he was a child that he would someday be rich. That’s true, but unfortunately, there are seven people in his way to a 28 billion dollar inheritance. What would you do? I am a fan of Glen Powell, but this is not his best work. He is let down by a script that wants to be a dark comedy but forgets to be dark or comedic. Instead, it’s a bland attempt to redo the perfect 1949 film Kind Hearts and Coronets, and it doesn’t succeed (look for the very small credit in the closing credits for this film). Something that could have saved this film (besides some actual comedy) is Margaret Qualley, who tries her hardest to bring some life to the storyline as a childhood friend who is married (unhappily) to one of the heirs to the fortune. I wanted more of Qualley’s character in the film, but she only shows up occasionally to create tension. Most of the supporting cast is wasted, including Ed Harris, who doesn’t show up until near the end of the film. The tagline of the film is “Heir today, gone tomorrow.” Well, I wish tomorrow had come much sooner.  My Rating: Cable  How to Make a Killing Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Kokuho  (2025) Kokuho takes place in post-war Japan as Kikuo (Ryo Yoshizawa), the son of a yakuza mobster leader, sees his father gunned down. Years later, Kikuo is taken in by a renowned Kabuki actor, Hanai, and Kikuo becomes his apprentice. Despite life’s challenges, Kikuo becomes a gifted performer, but jealousy and the past may become too much to overcome. This is a visually stunning film that has all the intrigue of a Shakespearean drama, with family squabbles, a son who is overlooked, an outsider who reaps the rewards until things go bad, and redemption, but with a cost. The Kabuki scenes are beautiful and fascinating. The story goes on a little too long (it spans many years and runs three hours), but the performances are strong, and the plot keeps giving us twist after twist. My Rating: Full Price  Kokuho Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  This is Not a Test  (2025) R  This is Not a Test is about Sloane Price (Olivia Holt), a teen girl who has had a rough life, abused by her father, abandoned by her sister, and who contemplates suicide. Sloane’s life changes when Sloane and four other students are forced to take shelter in their high school during a zombie apocalypse. I enjoyed this high school drama meets horror film because of Olivia Holt’s performance as Sloane, a teen who has already experienced horror in her own household by an abusive father, only to be attacked by zombies. Her only refuge is her high school, where she finds a few other students to hang out with and survive the trauma of zombies showing up, even as old teachers. Holt is what makes this film work, as she tries to find solace among her fellow students but is always confronted by her status as a loner. We know some students won’t survive, but we hold out hope that Sloane will. The zombie attacks are ok, though very low-tech, but it’s the high school kids trying to survive and get along that make this film work.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   This is Not a Test Info  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Midwinter Break  (2026) PG-13  Midwinter Break follows a long-term couple, Stella (Lesley Manville) and Gerry (Ciaran Hinds), as they take a holiday in Amsterdam. Their trip is filled with unresolved tensions, past memories, and a secret that could destroy their relationship. This had all the hallmarks of an outstanding film, thanks to the two lead actors. Regrettably, I never felt a connection with either character. From the first shot of them eating dinner, you could tell that whatever they had in their marriage was long gone. The concept is interesting, with Stella wanting a more spiritual life, but it comes across almost as if Stella had planned all along to leave Gerry there in Amsterdam. Gerry comes across as a man who loves his wife but doesn’t respect her. While Stella has a breathtaking moment telling the story of her pregnancy, there is never the poignant moment we need between Gerry and Stella to hit us. Instead, we get what feels like a feeble scene in an airport near the end of the film, leaving us disappointed to have gone on this journey with the two of them, and neither the two nor the audience has learned a thing.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Midwinter Break Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  We lost one of my favorite actors of all time this week, Robert Duvall. In his honor, I am re-running one of my Forgotten Films from Dec. 25, 2012. Tender Mercies (1983) PG  Robert Duvall plays Mac Sledge, a legendary country singer who has fallen on hard times due to his drinking. He finds himself abandoned in a small West Texas motel run by a widow, Rosa (Tess Harper), and her young son (Allan Hubbard). Through the kindness of Rosa, Mac slowly gets his life back on track, falling in love with Rosa, and he begins to write songs again. But life is complicated, and his ex-wife, Dixie (Betty Buckley), a big country star herself, comes back into the picture to mess things up possibly. Duvall gives one of his best performances, bringing depth and warmth to a deeply flawed character. Everyone in this film did their own singing, with Duvall and Buckley lighting up the screen with their vocal talents. This is almost a perfect film with an incredible script by the Texan writer Horton Foote, whose talent for finding the right words for his characters shines throughout. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Tender Mercies Info   Available to rent on Amazon and Apple TV+  

Weird Credits:  From the credits of How to Make a Killing:  Map Welfare Inspector 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Project Hail Mary (2026) PG-13  Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light-years from home with no idea who he is or how he got there. He soon figures out that his mission is to somehow stop a mysterious substance from killing the sun. Ryland is not alone up there and discovers unexpected help; from an alien. The film is from the team of Lord and Miller, responsible for bringing us The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.  Project Hail Mary Website  The film is in theaters on Friday, March 20, 2026. 

Until Next Time!

Wuthering Heights

My View: Wuthering Heights  (2026)  R Wuthering Heights is the legendary love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors that follows the intense, sometimes destructive relationship between Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) and Catherine (Margot Robbie). Writer/director Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) clarified that she was making a personal version of Wuthering Heights and not a direct adaptation of Emily Brontë’s much-loved novel. Your first clue is a soundtrack mostly composed of songs written and performed by Charli XCX, which gives the film a bit of a modern touch, though not as much as I anticipated. I have a feeling that fans of the book will be disappointed with this rather disjointed telling. The first half, which covers Catherine and Heathcliff’s childhood, is the most interesting part of the film. The dynamic between the two characters as children is interesting and at times riveting. I can’t say the same thing for when Heathcliff and Catherine are adults, especially when Heathcliff leaves for a spell because of Catherine getting married to rich suitor Edgar (Shazad Latif). I didn’t like the chemistry between Robbie and Elordi, as it never gave off the sparks that the film needed. Here’s a clue to this film: anytime it rains, you know Catherine and Heathcliff are going to have sex. And it rains a lot. I also had a hard time understanding Elordi’s dialogue, as he tended to swallow his words, trying to be the illiterate, brooding tough guy. I didn’t like any character in this film, including our two lovers, who seem like spoiled brats, selfish, and unable to keep their hands off each other (especially in the rain). I am surprised the film didn’t end with a rousing remake of “Blame it on the Rain”.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Wuthering Heights Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Crime 101  (2026)  R  Crime 101 follows a jewel thief named Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth) whose heists along the 101 freeway have made him a legend and have left the police baffled. Mike has set his sights on the ultimate score and finds out that Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry), an insurance broker, wants in on the deal. Can Mike trust Sharon, or is she setting him up for a fall? I am a big fan of the Michael Connelly Harry Bosch book series, and one thing Connelly does is always talk about the traffic in L.A. Writer/director Bart Layton and Cinematographer Erik Wilson do a great job is capturing the look and feel of L.A. with its long line of cars on the freeway and the homes and hotels of the rich, along with the scenes of the homeless on the street, as our hero Mike figures out his next heist. I had fun with this film and its multiple storylines, which keep intersecting throughout. The film has some nice twists, and I had expected that there would be a romance between Hemsworth and Berry, but that’s not the case. Instead, both characters see each other as a tool to be used to get what they want. In fact, there is more attraction between Berry’s character, a woman who keeps bumping up against the glass ceiling and can’t break through, and Mark Ruffalo’s world-weary but by-the-rules cop, as they both are getting screwed by their bosses. Instead, there is a fun romance between Hemsworth’s character, who has a troubled past, and Monica Barbaro’s character, a woman he meets in a strange ‘meet-cute’ moment. I was amazed by how that relationship turned out. The big heist kept me guessing, and I thoroughly enjoyed Barry Keoghan’s motorcycle heist man, who is way in over his head on everything he does. It must be fun to be Keoghan these days, taking parts where he can go nuts. Crime 101 isn’t a brilliant film (comparing it to LA centric movies like Heat or Beverly Hills Cop), but it’s a fun time with a great cast and a city that is always interesting to be in.  My Rating: Full Price  Crime 101 website  Now playing in theaters 

Familyfaire:  GOAT  (2026)  PG  GOAT is about Will, a small goat with dreams of going pro and playing roar ball, the high-intensity, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will is determined to prove he belongs and that “smalls can ball!” I don’t know, maybe kids who love basketball or goats will like this movie, but I was bored almost from the start. I didn’t like the animation style, which at times felt soft and at other times too harsh. The plot was too simple, the storyline wasn’t well thought out, and I didn’t care if the team of misfits ever won a game, much less make it to the championship. The film kept throwing ideas at us, as if it had decided to play dodgeball rather than basketball. Steph Curry, who produced the film and voices one of the characters, needs to stick to winning championships and stay out of the animation chair.  My Rating: Cable   GOAT Website Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Jimpa  (2025)  Jimpa is about Hannah (Olivia Colman), who, along with her nonbinary teenager, Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde), travels to Amsterdam to visit her gay father Jim (John Lithgow), who goes by the term Jimpa, instead of grandpa. When Frances expresses an interest in staying with her ‘Jimpa’, Hannah is forced to re-examine her parenting and her past. Jimpa is a film with its heart in the right place, but it doesn’t know how to convey that message without hitting us over the head. The film features impressive performances by John Lithgow and Olivia Colman, but it feels like it is filled with meaningless subplots, mostly involving Frances and their quest to find a place in the world. The film never hits the mark with its overabundance of sentimentality. It’s funny that Jimpa is about a filmmaker, Hannah, who is told that her next film project doesn’t have enough conflict to make a good drama. I can say the same thing for Jimpa.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Jimpa Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die  (2025)   R   In Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, a “Man From the Future” (Sam Rockwell) shows up at a Los Angeles diner and takes the patrons hostage. He claims he is a time traveler and needs their help in stopping AI from eventually destroying humanity. Sam Rockwell has so much fun in this role as the madman who bullies people into joining him in what he knows is likely a suicide mission. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is a wild ride with outstanding performances from Juno Temple as a mom grieving the son she thought she knew and Haley Lu Richardson as an angry, depressed young woman who seems set on joining the group because she wants to die. The film is incredibly wacky and doesn’t follow any rules, but its message is timely. How many times have you seen people walking into traffic or running into people because they can’t look up from their phones? That’s the core of this film, how the internet and our technology doesn’t care about us, it just wants our full-out attention. So put down your phone, get ready to see some really weird stuff, and join in on the revolution to stop AI from taking over the world and our lives. The “Man from the Future” will show you the way, though you might want not to go first.  My Rating: Full Price  Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Cold Storage  (2026)  R  Cold Storage is about two employees, Travis (Joe Keery) and Naomi (Georgina Campbell), who work at a self-storage facility built atop a former military base. Their night becomes a nightmare when a rapidly mutating, parasitic fungus escapes from the base. Their only hope is a grizzled bio-terror operative named Robert Quinn (Liam Neeson). Who would have thought that Academy Award-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave, Oscar-nominated actress Lesley Manville, and Liam Neeson would be in a zombie/fungus taking over the world movie and would have some sizable parts to boot. Keery and Campbell are fun as two security guards tasked with saving the world. The plot is pretty simple, and the zombies are really gross, with lots of splatter going on, including a zombie throwing up on a bunch of bikers to infect them. Neeson looks like he is having a blast in the part, along with a chain-smoking Manville. I assume Vanessa Redgrave is a friend of someone involved in the film, because she is there for comic relief and isn’t really important to the plot. This is one of those films that's perfect for a Saturday night, with lots of popcorn and a few drinks. Just don’t get anything green to drink. My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Cold Storage Website Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie  (2025) R  Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie takes place when Matt (Matt Johnson) and Jay (Jay McCarroll) try to book a show at the Rivoli, and it goes horribly wrong. So the guys try to create a time machine, like in Back to the Future, and guess what? It works! Only they are now in the year 2008 and can’t get back home. I didn’t know much about the guys or their show, but judging by the enthusiastic and boisterous audience, fans of their work are going to love this film. The duo takes a bit of getting used to, and their harebrained schemes are outlandish, but that’s the charm of these very Canadian guys, who say hello to almost everyone on the street and often ask where people are from, just to be nice. There is a running joke about copyrights that is hilarious, including stealing a whole lot from the earlier-mentioned Back to the Future films. And beware of anyone afraid of heights; a good deal of the plot revolves around the CN Tower, one of the world's tallest free-standing structures. You might need a parachute, or two.  My Rating: Full Price  Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie    Now playing in select theaters 

Forgotten Film: The Strawberry Statement  (1970) R A college student (Bruce Davison) joins a group of campus organizers, not because he is caught up in the politics of the day but because he hears it’s a great way to meet girls. And he does meet a girl (Kim Darby), but he also realizes the issues that they are protesting are meaningful and worthy. He soon learns that the protests can become scary and violent. This is a film that, while dated by being made during the Vietnam protests of the late 60s, still packs a punch and explores  ideals that are still relevant today. The film is enhanced by a great soundtrack featuring songs by Neil Young, John Lennon, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. This is one of the late Bud Cort's first feature films.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Strawberry Statement Info  The film is available to rent on Apple TV+

Weird Credits: From the credits of Wuthering Heights: Candle Wrangler

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Undertone  (2025)  R  A host of a popular paranormal podcast, Evy (Nina Kiri), is sent some mysterious and terrifying audio recordings that somehow become real in Evy’s world. Film critics who have seen the movie are giving it great reviews, and the trailer looks really scary. Plus its from the A24 studio, so you know its going to be a little bit weird.  Undertone Website  In theaters on Friday, March 13, 2026  

Until Next Time!

The Strangers: Chapter 3

My View: The Strangers: Chapter 3  (2026)  R  In The Strangers: Chapter 3, it’s time for Maya (Madelaine Petsch) to go from victim to attacker, as she seeks a final, brutal confrontation with the masked killers that have made her life a living hell. I didn’t like the first film (Chapter 1), feeling that all the scares were ‘jump out of the dark’ ones, though I like Madelaine Petsch (she was great in Riverdale as the stuck-up Cheryl Blossom that could shoot a mean bow and arrow). I saw but didn’t review Chapter 2, which mainly was Maya running around, almost getting killed, though we got a bit of the Strangers’ origin story (it’s pretty weak). So, on to the finale, Chapter 3. I’ve been reviewing films for fifteen years now and seen a ton of movies. This is the first film that I almost walked out on. Not once, but twice. To have to sit through three films, rooting for Maya to escape or maybe even get revenge, and be rewarded with a piece of crap writing that had to be ghostwritten by 15-year-olds who thought “wouldn’t it be cool if” kind of plot, is inexcusable. Please don’t bother seeing this, because I don’t want the filmmakers even to think, hey, wouldn’t it be cool if we did another one? No, no, it wouldn’t! Instead, watch the 2008 film The Strangers, written and directed by Bryan Bertino, starring Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler. It won’t make you want to scream at the screen.My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   The Strangers: Chapter 3 Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Dracula  (2025)  R  Dracula is about a 15th-century prince who, after his beloved wife dies, denounces God and, in turn, inherits an eternal curse: he becomes Dracula. Condemned to wander the centuries, he defies fate and death, searching for his lost love, killing all who get in his way. This is more of a gothic romance than a horror film. The film is helped by Caleb Landry Jones’ portrayal of a man who has been haunted by the death of his beloved, cursed to live forever teaching for his one true love to return. However, the film never delivers the heat that the romance needs, and is hurt by Christoph Waltz playing a weird vampire-hunting priest who talks way too much and does very little else. The ending is a big letdown, but if you get a chance, it’s worth a watch to see the Gargoyle henchmen that Dracula has in his castle. My Rating: Cable  Dracula Info  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Solo Mio  (2026)  PG  Solo Mio is about Matt (Kevin James), who is left at the altar at his destination wedding in Rome. Matt decides to continue the trip alone and is about to discover friendship and love in unexpected places. I am not a huge Kevin James fan because he always overplays his comedy hand. So, it’s nice to see James try to take it down a notch and not go overboard in this lovely, harmless romantic comedy film. Nowhere on my cinema bingo card did I expect James to legitimately sing an aria with the legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli. The film has some heart (not a lot, but some) and tries hard. James is helped out by Nicole Grimaudo, who plays his love interest. Grimaudo is delightful in the role and does much of the heavy lifting in the film. They have a nice, easy chemistry that helps make the love connection believable. I could have done without all the high jinks the supporting cast does, including the constant mugging that Kim Coates displays, but the Italian scenery is gorgeous, and the music is fun. I will say that the ending did pack a few surprises, making this film, while not great, satisfying. And hey, did I mention Andrea Bocelli? My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Solo Mio Website   Now playing in theaters 

Indiefest:  The President’s Cake  (2025)  PG-13  The President’s Cake is about 9-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef), who in 1990s Iraq is tasked with baking her class’s cake to celebrate Saddam Hussein’s birthday. Lamia sets out alone in the big city to find the ingredients for the cake in a country in the midst of the Gulf War, where sugar and other baking ingredients are almost nonexistent. A beautifully told tale of a young girl's quest across a city during a dangerous time when an iron fist ruled the country and corruption was the norm. Your heart goes out to Lamia, who knows that if she fails to bring a cake to school, she will bring shame to her family and possibly face an even worse outcome. Her allies on this quest are her grandmother, her best friend Saeed, who doesn’t always follow the rules, and her pet rooster, Hindi. You will fall for Lamia, and your heart will race on her many close calls as she reaches against all the odds for ingredients that seem more like searching for gold than cake ingredients.   My Rating: Full Price  The President's Cake Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest: The Moment  (2026)  R  The Moment is a mockumentary following a pop star (Charli XCX) as she gears up for her first headlining tour. I didn’t know much about the singer Charli XCX other than that she had something called ‘BRAT summer' and had some big hits singing with other stars like Iggy Azalea. So I didn’t really know much about her or her music. The great thing about this movie is that you don’t have to know anything about Charli XCX other than that she is having a moment in the spotlight, where she and her team are desperate to keep it going so she can headline a big tour. What I enjoyed about this movie is that we don’t like Charli all that much. She’s kind of a jerk and is willing to throw people under the bus to keep her career going. It’s not to say that Charli is a bad person, just someone who wants to succeed. The film is helped by the fact that Charli is playing herself, so all she has to do is react to what is happening to her. The film is helped by a great supporting cast, including Rosanna Arquette as a clueless record executive who only wants the ‘BRAT’ summer to keep going, and Alexander Skarsgard as a movie director hired to film Charli’s tour but sees it as his project to take over and mold to his vision. Skarsgard is perfect as a man who insults people while pretending to get along with them. It’s funny that this is a movie about a music star and her tour, but there isn’t a whole lot of music in it. I will warn people who have a hard time with flashing lights, because director Aidan Azmiri uses them and quick full-screen text to comment on what is happening to Charli and her tour. I will say that some scenes don’t work as well as they should, such as one where Charli goes to a high-priced resort and has an experience with a woman who cleanses the skin with words rather than facials. I think fans of Charli XCX will enjoy The Moment more than someone like me or a casual fan, but there are enough funny, memorable moments to make it a fun time.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Moment Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest: Scarlet  (2025)  PG-13  Scarlet is an animated film about a medieval-era princess who has trained all her life to handle herself in any situation. After failing to avenge the death of her father, the king, Scarlet finds herself injured in a surreal world. Desperate to return to the real world, she meets a young man who helps her understand that revenge isn’t always the best path forward. I often have trouble with Japanese animated films because they are often based on TV shows or manga books, and knowledge about the characters is needed to fully enjoy them. This is not the case with Scarlet, a standalone animated film loosely based on Hamlet with a little bit of Joan of Arc thrown in. It’s a gorgeously animated revenge film that takes our heroine to an underworld where she tries to find a way back to the living to get her revenge. Scarlet is ruthless on her journey, but along the way, we see that learning about life and forgiveness is beautifully told.  My Rating: Full Price  Scarlet Website  Now playing in IMAX and will be playing in other theaters starting Feb. 13th.  This is a review from Dec 2025 that I decided to repost due to the film going into wide release.

My View:  Whistle  (2025) R  Whistle is about a group of unwitting high school students who come across a strange object, an ancient Aztec Death Whistle. The group doesn’t realize what they have until people in their group start dying. This is your typical young high schoolers (and their teacher, sorry, Nick Frost) doing something stupid, like blowing into a scary Aztec whistle they know has the word 'death' on it. The scares aren’t bad; the deaths are grisly and inventive, and you don’t know how our young, sometimes really stupid, heroes are going to get away. I also liked the romance between our main character, troubled Cyrys (Dafne Keen), and the smart, cute, and seemingly out of Cyrys’s league, Ellie (Sophie Nelisse). The ending isn’t horrible, and there are a couple of cool settings in a Halloween-type maze and a steel mill. And by the way, stay through the first part of the credits for a bonus scene. And remember, don’t blow into any ancient Aztec whistle that looks really creepy.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Whistle Website   Now playing in theaters

                                                               

Forgotten Film: Dracula (1979) R A ship is wrecked off the coast of England, and a lone survivor is found on the beach. That man is Count Dracula (Frank Langella), and a family takes him in, where he meets Lucy (Kate Nelligan), and the Count sets his sights on making Lucy his bride. Little does Lucy know that the Count has a secret: he is a vampire. Langella caused a huge commotion in the stage play on Broadway, and his performance in this film shows how comfortable he is in the role of a man who has lived a long time and wants to find someone to share it with, even if it means she will become undead. What sets this film apart from other Dracula films is that, unlike most Dracula films throughout time, it was directed by a top-flight director, John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, WarGames), and features a cast that includes Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasance, and Trevor Eve. My Rating: Full Price  Dracula Info  The film is available on Apple TV and Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Dracula:  Fake Weapons

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Pillion  (2025) R  Colin (Harry Melling) lives at home with his parents and works as a parking enforcement officer, a job he hates. The only thing he seems to love is singing in a barbershop quartet. One night, while singing with his group in a bar, he meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a man Colin feels is way out of his league, and Ray asks him out. Soon, Colin is swept off his feet by this motorcycle-riding, incredibly handsome man. Just one catch: Ray wants Colin to be his submissive. The film has been a tremendous hit on the film festival circuit and is up for three BAFTA Awards.   Pillion Website The film will be in select theaters in late February.

Until Next Time!

Send Help

My View: Send Help  (2026) R  Send Help follows Linda (Rachel McAdams), who has the boss from hell in Bradley (Dylan O’Brien), who tells her she has one last chance to impress him on an upcoming trip, or she will be fired. When their plane crashes and the two find themselves stranded on a deserted island, things have changed. Linda is now in charge, and Bradley is in danger of being fired or killed. Director Sam Raimi (Spiderman trilogy, The Evil Dead series, Drag Me to Hell) must have had a blast directing this film, which is off-the-wall fun, with lots of blood and two characters who play a game of who can, quoting Linda’s favorite TV show Survivor, “outwit, outplay, and outlast’ the other. Rachel McAdams is a delight as the put-upon office worker who is now stranded with the one person she hates, her boss, Bradley. This is a horror film with a sense of humor, plenty of scares and thrills, and a plot that will keep you guessing. I loved this film, and McAdams and O’Brien are a blast to watch as they match wits, with Linda having the skills and Bradley the overconfidence of a man who has always gotten his way. This is a bloody, sometimes look the other way, physical romp where two people try not only to survive on an island but also to survive each other. Send Help is a tale that you think might become one of those Hallmark rom-coms where two people who can’t get along realize that they are in love with each other, but instead is as if they are on Survivor, but with swords and lots of blood flowing.  My Rating: Full Price  Send Help Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Shelter  (2026)  R   In Shelter, Mason (Jason Statham) is living a solitary life in a remote area by the sea when he rescues a young girl, Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), from drowning. This act set off a chain reaction that soon brings violence his way, something Mason had hoped he had put behind him. Jason Statham is one of my favorite action stars. Like Keanu Reeves, he seems to know what works in his wheelhouse and then delivers exactly what you want and are expecting. That’s what you get in Shelter, a delightful tale of a man whose past has caught up with him, and he is going to do everything he can to ensure that the young girl he rescued will survive whatever the bad guys throw at them. What makes this such a fun ride is the chemistry between Statham, playing a man of few words, and Bodhi Rae Breathnach, who plays the headstrong young girl who has lost her last family member and now is all alone, unless she can convince Mason to take her along on his adventures. Breathnach is having a moment in cinema, in this role and in her role in the Academy Award-nominated Hamnet. She makes this film work because we understand how quickly Mason can develop feelings for Jessie through her performance. The action sequences are fun to watch, and Jason beats the crap out of a lot of bad guys. Adding to the fun, as the mastermind bad guy is the always enjoyable Bill Nighy, playing a man who is convinced he is the puppet master, but Mason has other ideas. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Shelter Website   Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Wrecking Crew  (2026)  R  The Wrecking Crew centers around two half-brothers, Jonny (Jason Momoa) and James (Dave Bautista), who have to work together to discover the reason for their father's murder in Hawaii. Long-buried secrets will be uncovered, which threaten to tear their family apart. I had a hard time with this film at the start, as we are thrown into the storyline without much backstory. However, because of the fun that Momoa and Bautista are having playing off each other as two brothers who can’t get along, the film is enjoyable to watch. There is even a very funny and thrilling chase sequence where even Morena Baccarin makes an appearance to have some fun. The film is a little too complicated for its own good, but watching Momoa play the brother who is always doing the wrong thing and Bautista, who is constantly judging Jonny, it’s an action film that works only because of the two leads.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Wrecking Crew Website  Now playing on Amazon Prime.

My View: Arco  (2025)  PG  Arco is a ten-year-old boy who lives in the year 2932. Arco’s parents time-travel without him, and he decides to go out on his own. Arco travels back to 2075, but on the way, his time-travel device breaks, leaving him with no way to get back to his family. This is a beautiful and thrilling story about a boy who wanted to be included in his family's adventures and goes out on his own, only to realize that he may never see them again. What he finds in this new world is friendship and hope for a world that is quickly devouring itself. The animation is almost magical in its look and feel, and the storyline will captivate both young and old, making Arco worthy of its Academy Award nomination.  My Rating: Full Price  Arco Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest: Iron Lung  (2026)  R   The Iron Lung takes place in the near future, where an event known as ‘The Quiet Rapture’ causes all known planets and stars in the universe to disappear. A convict has been sent on a suicide mission using a small submarine to explore a moon that has an ocean of blood. One of the most anticipated movies of January is based on a video game and features filmmaker Mark Fischbach, who has an incredible number of social media followers. Fischbach wrote (with the help of the video game creator David Szymanski), directed, and stars in the film. The film has garnered over 7 million dollars in presales. I wish the over 2-hour movie was worth all that attention, but it’s not. The movie and game revolve around a person alone in a submersible with no windows, guided by a map and pictures taken by a camera every few moments. If that sounds like fun to you, then go right ahead. I was bored out of my mind and kept looking at my watch (always a bad sign) to see when this film would end. Half the time, you have no idea what is going on, why he is down there, and if what we are seeing is real or a figment of his imagination, something that you will not get an answer to, even by the end of the film. This is a mess of a film and wouldn’t even be a fun watch at a midnight film festival platform. Man, I hope the video game is more fun than this film. I have no intention of finding out.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again Iron Lung Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  A Private Life  (2025) R  A Private Life follows a renowned psychiatrist, Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster), as she investigates the death of a patient of hers. While others believe Lilian did nothing to prevent the suicide, Lilian believes that her patient might have been murdered. A Private Life only works because of Jodie Foster, who commands the screen with her presence and blends in perfectly with her command of the French language to make a mystery better than it should be. The plot is shaky as it is more about Lilian discovering more about herself and her faults than it is about solving a possible murder. We learn more about Lilian and her relationships than we do about her patient’s life in Lilian’s quest to find out if her patient committed suicide. I loved the back-and-forth between Lilian and her ex-husband, as we see there is still an attraction and draw between them, no matter what happened in the past. By the end of the film, I was sorry the mystery was solved and wouldn’t mind if Lilian went on to solve more mysteries.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  A Private Life Website  Now playing in select theaters 

Indiefest: Mr. Nobody Against Putin (2025)   Pavel “Pasha” is a teacher and event organizer who always has a video camera in hand to record his students' activities. Pasha lives in a small Russian town that was once famous as the world's most polluted city (tourists from all over used to visit). Pasha is well-liked by teachers and students and cares about his students. He recognizes he is a little strange, and sometimes his frankness gets him into trouble, but his office at school is a gathering place for students who also feel like they don’t belong. Then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine begins, and Pasha sees his school turn almost overnight from a fun, happy place to one where the students are force-fed government propaganda. A place where school has become a place not to learn about the world, but only about how great Putin is and how the rest of the world is inferior to the Russian way of life. So, our strange little teacher documents everything that is going on at the school, recording hundreds of hours of footage while doing some subversive things on his own, including playing Lady Gaga singing the American national anthem over the school’s loudspeakers. I loved this film, and you too will fall in love with Pasha. At one point, he decides to resign because he can’t stand what his school has become, but then rescinds his resignation so he can create a documentary to show the world what has become of his beloved school. This is a shocking look at how quickly the propaganda forces work and how some teachers quickly take advantage of the situation for their own greed and power. Throughout the film, you worry about Pasha getting caught, and through his own narration, he realizes that his time is quickly running out. The film, with Pasha as our guide, is funny, thoughtful, courageous, and shows how powerful a documentary can be in revealing to the world how wrong a government can be. Mr. Nobody Against Putin is worthy of its Academy Award nomination and is a must-see for documentary lovers. If there were more Mr. Nobodies in the world, it would be a better place. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Mr. Nobody Agains Putin Website   Now playing in select theaters and available to stream on the Kino Film Collection

Forgotten Film: The Anderson Tapes (1971) GP  Duke Anderson (Sean Connery) is a master thief and has just been released from jail after 10 years. His first stop is to see his girlfriend, Ingrid (Dyan Cannon), who lives in a posh apartment building courtesy of a sugar daddy. Duke realizes that Ingrid’s building is a gold mine full of rich people with lots of things to steal, so he contacts gangster Tommy(Alan King) to help plan the heist, and then puts together a crew to pull off the job, including an art expert (Martin Balsam) and a young safecracker (Christopher Walken). Connery is good in this post-007 role, but the fun of this film is the film debut of Christopher Walken, and it’s a blast to watch him perform on screen. Five-time Oscar-nominated Sidney Lumet directs the film, and you can see his steady hand throughout. The film falls apart a bit when the twist is revealed, but watching Walken on the screen makes up for it. My Rating: Bargain Matinee The Anderson Tapes Info Now available to rent on Amazon and Apple TV+.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Shelter: Chess Advisor

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Bride  (2026) R  This is a retelling of the story of the Bride of Frankenstein. In the 1930s, Frankenstein’s monster (Christian Bale) had traveled to Chicago to seek the aid of Dr. Eupronius (Annette Bening) in creating a companion. Together, they revive a murdered woman, creating The Bride (Jessie Buckley), who is far more than expected. This sparks a romance, police attention, and more. Maggie Gyllenhaal wrote and directed the film, and the cast includes Penelope Cruz, Julianne Hough, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Peter Sarsgaard.  The Bride Website  In theaters on Friday, March 6, 2026.

Until Next Time!

Mercy

My View: Mercy  (2026)  PG-13  Mercy takes place in the near future, where a system is implemented that, if you are arrested for a capital crime, you go before an A.I. Judge, and you have only 90 minutes to prove your innocence. Detective Raymond (Chris Pratt) wakes up and is accused of killing his wife. He now has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson). January is usually a dumping ground for films that the studios don’t care about. So, this film, shot in 2024 and now being released, should tell you everything you need to know. Already a candidate for one of the worst films of 2026, Mercy is a dull film that hasn’t figured out AI or the fact that Chris Pratt is not a stage actor. For most of the film (except for doorbell and Alexa video scenes from the past), Pratt is handcuffed to a chair that, if his character doesn’t prove his innocence, will be his execution chair. The film wants to lecture us about a number of things wrong with the justice system, but it does it with an AI judge (played by Rebecca Ferguson) who, at times, gets upset if not called ‘your honor’ but can’t grasp common sense and practical deductions that are used to find clues in criminal investigations. The film wants to be a whodunit, but we already know from the get-go that Raymond is not guilty, and by thirty minutes in, I had figured out who the actual killer was. Too bad that by looking at the countdown clock that was always on screen, I knew we had another 60 minutes for the film to figure that out.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Mercy Website Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View: Return to Silent Hill  (2026) R  Return to Silent Hill follows James (Jeremy Irvine), who has lost contact with his girlfriend, Mary, until he receives a mysterious letter asking him to come to a town called Silent Hill. He hopes to be reunited, but he discovers a malevolent force has overtaken the town. James is determined to locate his lost love despite the presence of terrifying characters, both familiar and unfamiliar. The film is based on the much-loved video game, and that’s exactly what it feels like when watching it. Except you can push any buttons to move your character to a new scene or have the fun of killing a horrible creature or two. Instead, it feels as if we are being given a tour of the video game. We don’t like James almost from the start, including the ‘meet cute’ between him and Mary, which comes off as an incredibly bad plot point. About two-thirds through this hour-and-forty-five-minute slog of a film, I lost all interest in seeing how this story played out. Someone please put another game in the system; I’m done with this one.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Return to Silent Hill Website The review will be up on Friday night.

Indiefest: Magellan  (2025)  In Magellan, Ferdinand Magellan (Gael Garcia Bernal) sets out on a voyage with the hopes of conquest and riches. Instead, Magellan will find in the Philippines madness and heartbreak. I think Gael Garcia Bernal gives a good performance in this film, but I am not sure, as almost every shot is a static, distant shot. I don’t think there was a close-up of Magellan in the first twenty minutes. The film is all about showing us the consequences of actions without showing us what the actions were. I think some critics are going to love this film, but I found its two-hour and forty-minute runtime too long, with scenes that just lay there. This film reminded me of the saying “watching paint dry”, though I would say it was like watching the paint dry on a beautiful picture painted by a master.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Magellan Website  Now playing in select theaters.

Indiefest:  H is for Hawk  (2025)  PG-13  In H is for Hawk, Helen (Claire Foy) becomes lost in grief when her father suddenly dies. On a whim, Helen buys a hawk named Mabel. Through this unlikely friendship, Helen learns that life can begin again, even after a loss. Grief hits us in different ways, and with Helen, she basically cuts off almost everyone and everything in her life except for a hawk named Mabel. Most people would look for an animal that can give comfort and love in return, but Helen finds comfort in the bond she develops with Mabel, the hawk. Claire Foy gives a heartfelt, moving performance as a woman who is extremely close to her father, and the only solace she can find is in her connection with a bird that hunts. It doesn't hurt that the always brilliant Brendan Gleeson plays Hellen's father in the flashbacks. Comfort literature has become all the rage, and H is for Hawk is about as close as you will come to a ‘comfort’ film. It’s a film where not much happens, but we see how close Helen becomes to Mabel and how that bond helps her heal.   My Rating: Full Price  H is for Hawk Website   Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film: Touched by Love (1980) PG  Lena (Deborah Raffin), a college dropout searching for direction, becomes a nurse’s aide at a school for children with medical problems. Lena is instantly drawn to what the school says is their “problem child”, a young girl named Karen (Diane Lane), who has cerebral palsy. Karen has become unresponsive, staying silent and moody. Lena learns that Karen is an Elvis fan, and they connect. Lena encourages her to write a fan letter, and Elvis replies. Diane Lane shines as Karen, and the strong supporting cast, including Michael Learned, John Amos, and Mary Wickes, adds warmth to this touching movie. My Rating: Full Price  Touched by Love Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Mercy: Fixtures Foreperson

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Wuthering Heights  (2026) R  The legendary love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors. The intense and sometimes destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine. Written and directed by Academy Award winner Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) and starring three-time Oscar-nominated Margot Robbie as Catharine and newly Oscar-nominated Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), this is surely going to be one of the must-see films of the year.  Wuthering Heights Website  The film is in theaters on Friday, February 13, 2026  

Until Next Time!