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!

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

My View: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple  (2026) R  28 Years Later: The Bone Temple takes place after the events of 28 Years Later. Spike (Alfie Williams) has joined Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal’s (Jack O’Connell) gang as they go on a killing spree. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) forms a new relationship with one of the undead, setting in motion something with world-changing consequences. I loved our return to the world of zombies in 28 Years Later, calling it “a zombie tale that has incredible cinematography, a bombastic soundtrack, and an ending that you will not see coming.” I can say almost the same thing for this film, with the exception that this film has quite a bit of humor to it as the film centers on two people, Spike, who finds himself part of a gang led by an absolute nut, and Dr. Kelson, who starts up (are you ready for this?), a friendship with one of the bad guys from the first 28 Years film, the zombie he has named Sampson. This time, Spike is in the most trouble, as the gang he has unwillingly become a part of is led by a man, Sir Lord Jimmy, who thinks he is a direct descendant of Satan (known as Old Nick). Spike is just trying to survive without getting killed himself as the gang travels across the country, killing both zombies and regular people. In fact, they get more pleasure out of killing people than killing zombies, which they do with a striking matter-of-fact ease. Our other hero has tired of this life and takes a chance, trying to connect with Sampson. Ralph Fiennes gives us a remarkable performance as a man curious about how the zombies see the world and, by drugging Sampson into a stupor, has very one-sided conversations with him. This is an outstanding film that keeps the thrills and kills abundant, with a plot that you can't predict where it’s going, and a slice of humor found in unexpected places. It’s an incredible mix of just how bad people can be, while others can find humanity in the smallest interactions. Plus, did you ever think you would see a zombie film that features the playlist of Duran Duran? I sure didn’t, but I’m glad I did. I can’t wait to see what happens next! And yes, from the ending we see that there will be another 28 Years film in the future.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Dead Man’s Wire  (2025) R   Dead Man’s Wire follows Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård), who, in February 1977, enters the office of a mortgage company, taking the president of the company hostage with a sawed-off shotgun wired with a ‘dead man’s wire.’ All Tony wants is some respect and the money that he feels is coming to him. Based on a true story (stay during the credits to see the real Tony Kiritsis in news reports), Bill Skarsgård gives a tour de force performance of a man who feels that his only move is to kidnap an executive of the mortgage company that he feels destroyed his dream of building a shopping mall. The film is buoyed by a performance by Coleman Domingo as a radio DJ who becomes the go-between the cops and Tony. I can’t say the same for Al Pacino’s performance as the head of the mortgage company that Bill wanted to be the one with the dead man’s wire attached to him. It’s a performance that is way too much Pacino and takes a lot of the air out of the film. Luckily, that conversation is pretty short, and the film picks up again quickly. Dead Man’s Wire is a captivating look at how a man's dreams can turn into a nightmare when the world is against him. My Rating: Full Price  Dead Man's Wire Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Rip  (2026) R   In The Rip, a team of Miami cops turn on one another after finding over $20 million in a stash house. Unsure whom to trust, tension escalates when outsiders get wind of the score, turning the night into a relentless nightmare. At the start of The Rip, we see the head of a police task force being hunted by two masked men. She sends a text message to someone, knowing that she is about to be killed. We find out that the message was sent to Lt. Dane Dumars (Matt Damon), the dead cop's second in command of the unit, who is incensed that there seems to be so little investigation going on in the killing of his boss. Thus begins a story full of twists and turns. It’s a story where you don’t know who to trust, including Dane’s best friend and fellow task force member JD (Ben Affleck), who we find out was having an affair with the slain cop. As you would expect, Affleck and Damon play off each other incredibly well. It’s disappointing that they couldn’t find a better part for Teyana Taylor, who is part of Dane’s team but is mostly in the background for most of the film. I found the action sequences a bit lacking, especially the night firefights, which are hard to follow. However, The Rip does a great job throughout most of the film, keeping you guessing just who to believe. Unfortunately, the film lets us down in the final scenes, which are both predictable and somewhat disappointing. It’s too bad that they couldn’t come up with a better ending and keep us in the dark until the end. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Rip Website  Now playing on Netflix

My View: All You Need is Kill  (2025) R  All You Need is Kill is about a young warrior named Rita who is trapped in a time loop after an alien invasion. She is forced to relive her death over and over until she meets another looped warrior named Keiji, and they team up to try to break the cycle. Based on the same novel as the Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow, the film is more about how Rita confronts her life as a loner who has to trust another person with her life, making it a very different experience to watch. The animation is outstanding, and the action sequences are fun and thrilling. This Japanese animated film is an electrifying and enchanting tale of courage, resourcefulness, and learning to believe not only in yourself but in another.  My Rating: Full Price  All You Need is Kill Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  The Voice of Hind Rajab  (2025) R  The Voice of Hind Rajab follows Red Crescent volunteers during a day when they receive an emergency call from a 6-year-old girl, Hind Rajab, pleading for help as she is trapped in a car under IDF fire in Gaza. While they try to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. This is a heartbreaking, tense film. I will warn you, it will be a tough watch, especially for parents. Based on a true story, the film uses actual recordings of the 6-year-old girl’s calls to the emergency call center. Using only Palestinian actors in the roles of the Red Crescent volunteers, the film lets us get to know some of the volunteers before the call comes in. Once the girl calls, it’s a cat-and-mouse game to get permission from the authorities to send an ambulance to rescue her. It’s a film full of tension as the pace increases, the longer the girl is stuck in the car, as each phone call becomes more frantic and the danger ramps up. This is a film full of courage, humanity, and sorrow, one that will be with me for a long time. While I am giving this film my highest rating, I don’t think I could ever watch it again. And I have a feeling that many parents that start watching this film may leave the theater before it end.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Voice of Hind Rajab Website   Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  State of Play  (2009) PG-13  A nationally known reporter, Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) for a D.C. newspaper, discovers a series of deaths that are tied to a congressman (Ben Affleck) and a powerful company. With the help of the plucky newspaper blogger, Della (Rachel McAdams), they discover just how far the corporation will go to keep their secrets, and it could mean Cal and Della’s lives. This is one of those films where the star power is far more fun than the actual plot. The cast is impressive, with Robin Wright, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, and Helen Mirren in important roles. The storyline is a little messy, but it’s fun watching Crowe bully everyone around, and McAdams is great as the newspaper’s blogger that Cal takes under his wing to show her how to break a real story.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  State of Play Info  The film is available for rent on Apple TV+

Weird Credits:  From the credits of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple: Dr. Kelson Fire Performer

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Send Help (2026) R Linda (Rachel McAdams) 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 is fired. When their plane crashes and the two find themselves stranded on a deserted island, things have changed. Now Linda is in charge, and Bradley is close to being fired or dead. When I saw the movie poster in a theater lobby, I didn’t recognize Rachel McAdams.  Send Help Website   In theaters on Friday, January 30, 2026.

Until Next Time!

People We Meet On Vacation

My View:  People We Meet on Vacation  (2026)  PG-13   People We Meet on Vacation follows Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex (Tom Blyth), best friends and almost exact opposites who live far apart, but for a decade, they have spent one week of summer vacation together. Will the two ever realize that they were meant to be more than vacation buddies? I am a fan of rom-coms, and this one works because the storyline is fun and the chemistry between the two leads works. Emily Bader is perfect as Poppy, the woman who is a writer who travels for a living, which fits her because she never aspires to be tied down to anything, especially the small town that she is from. Alex is the opposite as he loves their small town and wants order in his life. They have a meet-cute as both are off to college (reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally), and things do not go as planned, but both realize that maybe, just maybe, they have found a friend in each other. As usual in this type of film, the two don’t know they are meant to be together, but of course, we figure out that they are from almost the first few scenes. The film is fun and light and follows your usual will-they, won’t-they type of romance, with lots of breakups along the way to show the two that they just might be right for each other.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  People We Meet on Vacation Website Now playing on the Netflix platform

My View: Greenland 2: Migration  (2026)  PG-13   In Greenland 2: Migration, it’s been five years since the Garrity family found safety in the bunker in Greenland when the world was being destroyed by an interstellar comet. Unfortunately, the bunker is becoming unsafe, and the family will have to travel across the vast wasteland of Europe to find a new home. I didn’t like the first one, and this one has even less action and therefore is incredibly slow, with a lot of meeting new people who help the family out. The action sequences are few and far between, and when they happen, they aren’t even close to the scenes in the first film, which was its only saving grace. I will say that, unlike the first film, which made the son feel like an addict by making insulin a constant source of drama, this film only mentions it at the start of the escape and never brings it up again. This time, the family is in search of Eden, in a crater that somehow wasn’t affected by the comet. So, if you want to hear Gerald Butler cough a lot and Morena Baccarin cry a lot, go ahead and watch this one. At least in this film, they find little pockets of humanity, and in this day and age, that’s something.  My Rating: Cable  Greenland 2 Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View:  Primate  (2025)  R  Primate is about a family living in Hawaii who have a chimpanzee named Ben as a pet. Left alone for the weekend, Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) invites her friends over for a pool party. Unbeknownst to the partygoers, Ben has been bitten by a rabid animal, and the once lovable, gentle chimp has become a killing machine. Primate is a movie that deserves an R rating, and even though it has a pretty and young cast, it’s not because of sex or language. It’s because it is bloody and grisly as heck. Most of the scares are not your usual jump-out-of-the-dark horror bits, but an evil presence that is just as horrific as Jason or Freddy. The action sequences are a little weak, but the horror aspect is ramped up as this is one scary and smart chimp that isn’t having a good night, unless you count all the dead bodies he racks up. For a January horror film, this isn’t a bad way to spend some time with a not-so-cute, pissed-off chimp.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Primate Website Now playing in theaters nationwide

Indiefest:  All That’s Left of You  (2025)  All That’s Left of You starts with a Palestinian teen getting swept up and hurt during a protest on the West Bank. As she waits to see if her son will recover, she tells the story of their family and their relentless struggle to survive through the years of Israeli occupation. This is a heartbreaking, emotional look at what has happened to the Palestinians throughout the years and how continuing violence can bleed through the years into generations as a three-generational family goes from having a home and business, to living in settlements that are constantly being taken away, and moving to another country is always on the table. The film is a bit too long, and the timeline gets a little confusing, but at its heart are some beautiful moments that show that the love of family can be a comfort in a time of unrest. This is a film of bravery, of loss of both homes and lives, and of how family sometimes is your only hope in tough times.   My Rating: Full Price  All That's Left of You Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Father Mother Sister Brother (2025)  R  Father Mother Sister Brother follows three families from three different places around the world. Each family is reunited when estranged siblings are forced to confront unresolved feelings and strained relationships with their emotionally distant parents. To say that this film is low-key would be an understatement. The movie is three stories about parents and their adult children, all of whom don’t know each other very well and, for the first two stories, don’t make any effort to improve the relationship. The movie is from Jim Jarmusch, a filmmaker that I am not a huge fan of, though I enjoyed his 2016 film Paterson. I'm just not a big fan of watching three people sit around, not talk about anything for 20 minutes, and then leave. Even with acting talents like Adam Driver, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, and Vicky Kreips, I found the film boring and unamusing. Only the third section, about two adult twins (Luka Sabbat, Indya Moore) paying their last respects to their late parents' apartment in Paris, was where there was any life to this film, mostly because of the back-and-forth chemistry the two actors displayed in some touching moments. Fans of Jarmusch’s style of filmmaking will, I’m sure, adore this film and find it warm, funny, and moving. I found it boring, somewhat cold, and strange. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Father Mother Sister Brother Website Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  The Chronology of Water  (2025)  The Chronology of Water tells the story of Lidia (Imogen Poots), haunted by memories of an abusive father and an alcoholic mother. Her journey is one of raw loss, fragile love, and painful self-discovery, as she struggles to heal old wounds through her art and the vulnerable relationships she forges. This film, written and directed by Kristen Stewart, is based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s 2011 memoir about her journey through life. I had a hard time with the first half of the film, especially the voiceovers during Lidia’s early years. For a first-time director, this was a major undertaking, but it doesn’t always work. Stewart’s storyline in the first half of the film feels like a writing exercise Lidia would later give her students. It’s very arty, stream of consequence scenes, which feel taped together, that don’t always flow or work. Once Lidia puts her life together, the film follows a more traditional sequence, starting with her studies with author Ken Kesey. Imogen Poots gives an incredible performance as a woman searching for a way to deal with her past, and she finds it through writing. It’s not an easy journey to recovery, and this film isn’t an easy watch. However, watching Poots take her character down a long, very dark, winding road is a fascinating ride worth tagging along on.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Chronology of Water Website Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  Panic (2000) R  Alex (William H. Macy) has a secret; he kills people for a living. The only person who knows this is his therapist (John Ritter), whom he is seeing because Alex isn’t a happy man. He is married to Martha (Tracy Ullman), and they have a kid, Sammy (David Dorfman). Alex doesn’t want Sammy to follow in his footsteps as Alex did with his dad (Donald Sutherland). Alex doesn’t know what to do and, to make matters worse, he is fixating on a fellow patient from his therapist's office, Sarah (Neve Campbell). And to complicate things even more, dear old dad has given Alex his latest hit…his own therapist. This is a fun, strange, and at times very funny movie, carried by a great cast and Macy's amazing performance. I loved every character in this film, and it’s worth seeing for Barbara Bain’s performance as Alex’s mom. What will Alex do? Watch and find out.  My Rating: Full Price.  Panic Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon

Weird Credits: From the credits of Greenland 2: Migration: Wire Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Scream 7 (2026). Sidney (Neve Campbell) has retreated to a quiet new town with her daughter, Tatum (Isabel May). But peace shatters when a new Ghostface emerges, targeting Tatum. Now, Sidney must confront a relentless evil that’s closer than ever. Neve Campbell returns to the series that won’t die. This is the first film in the saga directed by Kevin Williamson, who wrote Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), and Scream 4 (2011).   Scream 7 Info  The film slashes into theaters on Friday, February 27, 2026

Until Next Time!

We Bury the Dead

My View:  We Bury the Dead  (2024)  R   In We Bury the Dead, Ava (Daisy Ridley) travels to Tasmania to join a military-led body retrieval unit after a catastrophe has created corpses that are reanimating. Ava is searching for her husband, who she hopes has survived amidst the rising undead. This isn’t your usual horror film about zombies. Instead, it’s about grief and the steps we must take to confront that loss, no matter how you try to avoid the inevitable truth. Daisy Ridley gives a touching performance as a woman who is convinced that the love between her and her husband is so strong that he can survive even the end of the world, and she is willing to go to the ends of the earth to prove it. This is a slow advance into the world of zombies, as Ava goes deeper and deeper into trouble. We Bury the Dead is a different type of horror film that values learning about oneself over bashing in zombie heads (though Ava does that also).  My Rating: Full Price  We Bury the Dead Info  Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Dutchman  (2025) R  In The Dutchman, Clay (Andre Holland), a successful businessman whose marriage is crumbling, meets a mysterious woman (Kate Mara) who seduces him. As the night goes on, Clay realizes that this woman knows everything about him, including things that only Clay knows. It’s a night that is full of mistakes, mysteries, and a game that Clay is just a pawn in. This is a film that never escapes the fact that it is based on a play, and it feels that way. There are too many speeches that go out into the ether, where the characters seem to talk just to spout some wisdom that we don’t need. I enjoyed the performances, but it tries too hard to be strange without giving us any clue what is going on. By the end of the film, I didn’t care who survived and what was left of them.   My Rating: Cable   The Dutchman Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: The Best You Can (2025)  R  In The Best You Can, Stan Olszweski (Kevin Bacon) is a night security guard in a residential section when he gets a call about a break-in and meets Cynthia Rand (Kyra Sedgwick), a doctor who is married to a much older man, Warren (Judd Hirsch). A friendship develops between Stan and Cynthia over late-night texts discussing their lives, including Cynthia’s husband, who is showing signs of dementia, and Stan’s attempts to connect with a daughter he left behind in his youth. I adore Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, and anyone who follows the couple’s social media knows they love each other and have a ton of fun together. The chemistry on screen is amazing, and the two work off each other with such ease. Unfortunately, the script isn’t worthy of their efforts to save it. The dialogue feels unfinished, and the movie fails to provide meaningful conflict or stakes as the story simply drifts without engaging momentum. Despite the strength of the cast, I found myself losing interest early on. Unless you are just looking to admire two great actors, skip this film and check out their hilarious social media presence instead.  My Take: Cable  The Best You Can Website  Now playing on Netflix and available to rent on other platforms.

Indiefest:  Best Wishes to All  (2022)  R  A young woman from a big city (Kotone Furukawa), who has been away from her hometown for a long time, visits her grandparents in the countryside. As the visit progresses, the young woman notices that her grandparents are acting strangely. She finds them staring at a door in a hallway, imitating a pig’s grunt for minutes at a time while eating pork, or constantly asking if she is happy. Little does she know, her grandparents are hiding a dark secret. A secret hidden from her, about to be shockingly revealed. This is a wonderful and, at times, scary horror film that slowly reveals that the grandparents and maybe the entire community are hiding the reason everyone is happy and full of life. Best Wishes to All becomes dark, creepy, and full of madness, set in a world that, from the outside, seems normal and full of sunshine, shattering the world the young woman used to know and love.  My Rating: Full Price  Best Wishes to All Info  Now playing on AMC+ and is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

Indiefest:  Mistress Dispeller  (2024)  This documentary follows three people: a long-time married couple and the husband’s mistress. When the wife finds out about the affair, she hires someone to secretly end her husband’s extramarital relationship in an attempt to save the marriage. This documentary is on the Academy Award shortlist, and I can see why. It is a fascinating look that takes a turn you are not expecting, at least for this critic. I am amazed that they got these people to participate in this documentary and that we got to see as much into their lives as we did. It’s a look at the complexity of relationships and why we do things that might hurt others. This is a film that doesn’t judge; it just explores people's feelings and lets them do the same, allowing the subjects to tell their story without fear. You will be glued to your seat to find out what happens next.  My Rating: Full Price  Mistress Dispeller Website The film is available to rent on most platforms

Indiefest:  The Tale of Silyan  (2025) PG  The Tale of Silyan is a documentary about a farmer’s bond with a white stork in a community famous for its rooftop storks that intertwines with a North Macedonian folklore tale of a boy who becomes a stork. It’s funny: when I first began watching this film, I thought it would be a heartwarming story about a man who rescues an injured stork and whose life is changed. And, yes, that’s what part of the film is about, but the root of the film isn’t the man rescues stork story, it’s about a changing way of life and how a proud farming family is torn apart by economic factors that not only affect the people of the town but the storks who depend on the farming to supply them with food. The film begins with a happy, close-knit family of farmers and shows how this year’s crops are abundant and beautiful. However, things quickly change when the farmers realize that market prices have dropped so much that it’s not worth planting next season’s crops. Things go from bad to worse, and the only thing that saves Nikola, the elderly head of the family, is a stork that he rescues and nurses back to health, though he soon realizes that the stork is hurt so badly that it will never fly again, and can’t leave when the flock migrates. At times, this is a tough watch, as you see a way of life that is quickly disappearing, and if that way of life goes away, the storks will also disappear. The folktale told throughout the film is also a downer, as a boy becomes a stork and can no longer communicate with his family. However, this is a film full of courage, willpower, and humor, showing that there is still humanity and a glimmer of hope in an old man, down on his luck, who finds in a hurt stork who becomes an important part of the family. My Rating: Full Price  The Tale of Silyan Website     Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  Milk  (2008) R  The story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), a man who believed he could help people and, by doing that, could change the world. He was a gay activist who fought for gay rights and was elected as California’s first openly gay official. It’s the story of a man who transformed his life and hoped that others would follow. Penn gives a moving, complex performance that shows Harvey wasn’t a perfect man, but the right man to speak up at the right time. It’s a hard movie to watch in that you know how the story ends, and the sadness of knowing Harvey died before seeing the big changes he hoped would take shape.  My Rating: Full Price  Milk Info  Available for rental on most platforms

Weird Credits: From the credits of We Bury the Dead:  Texture Artist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Dead Man’s Wire  (2025) R  In February of 1977, Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård) enters the office of a mortgage company, taking the president of the company hostage with a sawed-off shotgun wired with a ‘dead man’s wire.’ All Tony wants is some respect and the money that he feels is coming to him. Directed by Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho), the film is based on actual events that made national news.  Dead Man's Wire Website  The film is in theaters on Friday, January 16, 2026

Until Next Time!