Toy Story 5

My View:  Toy Story 5  (2026)  PG   In Toy Story 5, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang meet LilyPad, a chatty electronic toy, and their connection to playtime is put to the test. The Toy Story magic works again, and you will love going back to the world where toys not only talk but also care about you. This time, Jessie (voiced by the brilliant Joan Cusack), the cowgirl with the lovable horse, is the main character. We learn that not only has Buzz become smitten with Jessie, but he wants to marry her, but can’t find the courage or the right time to pop the question. However, there are bigger things going on in the household. Bonnie (voiced by Scarlett Spears) is having a tough time making friends. Her parents are concerned and finally bite the bullet, buying her a LilyPad (voiced by Greta Lee), an electronic device that Bonnie, along with all her classmates, becomes obsessed with, ignoring Buzz, Jessie, and the gang, for games and chat with others on the device. Soon, it becomes a war between Jessie, Buzz, and the rest of the toys, with Lily vying for Bonnie’s attention. This is a film about losing oneself to the electronic world and missing out on the world that kids create with their own imagination. It’s also about the isolation that kids feel, even when the electronic devices they are glued to promise friendship and connection. There are some new characters that we get introduced to, with a character voiced by Conan O’Brien who makes this Toy Story one of the funniest in the series. There is also a wonderful subplot involving a new version of Buzz Lightyear that I am sure kids will want. This is a remarkable film franchise that keeps hitting the movies out of the park, being able to find humor, warmth, and bittersweetness that both kids and adults will love, and yes, bring a few tears to an eye or two. Here’s to the wonderful group of toys that make us feel like kids again, even if only for a couple of hours. Note: You will want to wait until Taylor Swift finishes singing during the credits before you leave because there are some bonus scenes that you won’t want to miss.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Toy Story 5 Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Death of Robin Hood  (2026)  R The Death of Robin Hood follows the legendary Robin Hood (Hugh Jackman), who, unlike the tales about him, has lived a life of crime and murder. Fighting in a battle that he assumes will be his last, Robin Hood is gravely injured. A mysterious woman (Jodie Comer) finds him, offering him healing and a chance at salvation. The Death of Robin Hood is set in a time when no good or bad deed goes unpunished. This is a film about legends and the tales that are told to make heroes out of villains and give hope to people who need something to hang onto. Robin isn’t a hero, and he will tell you himself. We find this out from the beginning, when a man who is weary of living has to keep his wits about him because it seems during his life he has killed many people, and their families want vengeance. The first half of this film is a brutal bloodbath that is incredibly disturbing to watch, and in no way should any child see this film. In fact, I will warn you in advance that there is a scene with a child that is bone-chilling to watch. This is the story of a man living in a kill-or-be-killed world, and he knows his time is just about up. The Death of Robin Hood is a film in two parts: the first shows us Robin as the man who doesn’t hesitate to fight and kill, and the 2nd part is a man who is struggling with what he has done in the past and trying to come to grips with that, wanting to slowly fade into obscurity, but the past won’t let him. The second part of this film is incredibly slow (especially compared to the violent first half, and the friendship that develops between Jodie Comer’s healer character and Jackman’s Robin takes a long time to develop. If you are expecting a big finish to the legend of Robin Hood, you will be disappointed, because that isn’t the idea behind the film. It’s about a man who is ready to fade into the past, not realizing that his story will be continued, right or wrong, to be told long after his misdeeds are forgotten. The film’s two parts are so shockingly different that the second half feels like a letdown, even with some outstanding performances. Sometimes you want the legend and not the truth.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Death of Robin Hood Website   Now playing in theaters

My View: Girls Like Girls  (2026) R  Girls Like Girls takes place in rural Oregon, where Coley (Maya da Costa), a 17-year-old, is dealing with the death of her mother. Things look up when she meets the ever-popular Sonya (Myra Molloy), and the two quickly become friends. Coley realizes she is having stronger feelings for Sonya than Sonya will admit. The teen years are hard enough, but dealing with a now deceased mom who was probably had bipolar disorder, a father that she doesn’t know, and someone you have fallen for but is giving you mixed signals, and you get what Coley is dealing with. Maya da Costa carries this film with flair, delivering a performance that is both sweet and heartbreaking. Girls Like Girls perfectly depicts what it is like to find someone you care about, but having to deal with a person who isn’t ready to go on that journey with you. The film is set in the early 2000’s, when AOL was the norm, and everyone had a Sidekick for messaging. Girls Like Girls is silly, funny, and full of tears and thoughts about a teen’s world crashing down and never being fixed. Until it is. My Rating: Full Price  Girls LIke Girls Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: Leviticus  (2026)  R   Leviticus is set in a remote Christian community, where Naim (Joe Bird) has just moved in. He strikes up a friendship with a local boy, Ryan (Stacy Clausen), and it is evident that the two want more than just friendship. Little do they know that there is evil in the community, and if the two boys act out their forbidden desires, there will be deadly consequences. My review of the film will be posted Friday night.  Leviticus Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Color Book  (2024)  R  Color Book is about Lucky (William Catlett), a widower, who is dealing on his own for the first time with his 11-year-old son Mason (Jeremiah Daniels), who has Down syndrome. Lucky wants to give Mason a day he won’t soon forget: an Atlanta Braves baseball game. It’s a journey that will test their bond. This is about a parent who is still grieving and is overwhelmed at taking on the duty of being a single parent with a child who constantly needs attention and love. It’s a slice-of-life film presented in stark black-and-white photography as the two navigate their relationship and their place in the world. The chemistry between Catlett, as the patient father who has one setback after another, and Daniels, who plays his son, who misses his mother but is ready to go on a journey to be with his dad. This is a remarkably touching film that is at times heartwarming but ultimately heartbreaking, as the obstacles the two encounter are just too big to overcome. Color Book is a remarkable work that will make you frustrated and proud in the same film. My Rating: Full Price  Color Book Info  Premiering on Netflix and in select theaters on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Indiefest:  Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul (2026)  Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul is a documentary on the life and origins of one of the founding members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group, The Allman Brothers Band. I am a big fan of a couple of James Keach’s documentaries: the fantastic Glenn Campbell: I’ll Be Me and the film about the fitness guru who gets ALS in Augie. Unfortunately, this documentary feels shallow and spends too much time on Gregg’s last few years. The film never captures the magic that was Gregg or the Allman Brothers Band performing live. The film seems to barely scratch the surface of a man who was incredibly complex and was a very troubled soul for most of his life. The man was married six times and had lots of kids, but we really only get glimpses of his marriage to Cher, and then spend a lot of time with his last wife, Shannon. Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul's last 20 minutes is about his last few years overcoming alcohol and drug addiction, reconnecting with some of his children, and featuring extensive songs played during an all-star tribute to Gregg. I wanted more and got what seemed like a liner notes type film about his life.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul Website Now playing in select theaters.

Indiefest:  Rose of Nevada  (2025)   Rose of Nevada is set in an almost abandoned fishing village in Cornwall, UK. Thirty years ago, the loss of the fishing vessel Rose of Nevada and its crew rocked the community. One day, the fishing vessel reappears, tied up in the harbor. It’s decided that a crew will man the ship in search of fish. When the crew returns, they find something amiss: they are back where they started, but from 30 years ago. This is a strange and wonderful film about what it would be like if you could go back into the past and heal old wounds. Shot on grainy 16mm film and featuring a soundtrack that seems to be fed through a speaker from 30 years ago, this is a magical film where two fishermen go back in time. One, Liam, played by the always-interesting Callum Turner, is happy in this new world, finding a home and family. Whereas Nick (George MacKay) is now Liam’s opposite, having lost his wife and child in the present, and is now part of a family that isn’t his. Nick, in fact, keeps getting back onto the ship, hoping that at some point he will return to his life in the present. This is a fascinating film about time travel and its effects on the men sent back to the past to start their lives over. A life that isn’t their own, but fate has made it theirs anyway.   My Rating: Full Price  The Rose of Nevada Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Unidentified  (2025)  PG-13  In Unidentified, the body of a teenage girl is found in the desert. When no one claims the body, Nawai (Mila Al Zahrani), a divorced woman who recently lost a child of her own and is a true crime aficionado, gets involved in trying to solve the girl’s senseless death. It is rare to find a film that shows another culture through a woman’s point of view, with her as the hero of the story. This is one woman’s fight to find the truth, as she battles both her culture and her bosses to doggedly uncover what happened to a woman nobody wants to claim. Mila Al Zahrani gives a magical performance as a woman who loves listening to and watching true crime stories (which are also done while the host shows makeup tips), and takes on a case that most feel is unlovable. The film slowly reveals the secrets that everyone wants to keep buried. We get immersed in Nawai’s life, a mother who is on her own after divorcing her husband and losing her newborn daughter. She finds purpose in finding out who the dead woman is and why there is a cover-up about her death. It’s a film with lots of twists and turns, many that seem to be dead ends, but Nawai keeps at it, against the odds and her culture. It’s a fascinating film that keeps you guessing until the very end. My Rating: Full Price  Unidentified Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  The Long Goodbye  (1973) R  Set in 1973 Los Angeles, private eye Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) investigates a friend’s suicide that he is convinced is a murder. The more Philip investigates, the more the plot thickens, as the mob, money, and a missing novelist all become part of the mystery. This is not your typical Marlowe mystery, with Robert Altman directing and Leigh Brackett adapting the Raymond Chandler novel originally set in the 50s. This is more of a commentary on L.A., the people who will do anything to make money in a world where truth, loyalty, and friendship are worthless. Gould is fine as the down-on-his-luck P.I., but it’s Sterling Hayden that steals the show as the missing novelist who is the key to everything going down. The casting is eclectic, with Gould nowhere near the ideal Chandler Marlowe and a bunch of character actors filling out the cast, including Nina van Pallandt, Mark Rydell, Henry Gibson, David Arkin, and Jim Bouton, and a very small (blink and you'll miss it) appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Long Goodbye Info  The film is available to rent on Apple TV+

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Death of Robin Hood:  Snow Effects Technician

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Invite  (2026)  R   The Invite starts at a point where Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela’s (Olivia Wilde) marriage is going quickly down the drain. When they invite their mysterious neighbors (Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz) over for a dinner party, the night quickly spirals into chaos in very unexpected places. The film is directed by Olivia Wilde and written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.  The Invite Website   In theaters on Friday, June 26, 2026.

Until Next Time!

Disclosure Day

My View: Disclosure Day  (2026)  PG-13   Disclosure Day follows Daniel (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert who has access to long-held government secrets about extraterrestrial life. As it becomes evident that an alien presence is on Earth, Margaret (Emily Blunt), a local TV meteorologist, starts speaking an alien language during a live telecast. Steven Spielberg has always been fascinated by the possibility that aliens have been visiting Earth for quite some time. Daniel is our hero, a man who decides that the world should know that we are not alone in this universe, and he has proof that the government has known for over 75 years. Like Close Encounters and E.T., this is a film about one person who goes against big government and feels it’s his duty to the world to let everyone know that extraterrestrials are real. The government and a secret organization are convinced that if this information gets out, the world will go into chaos, and our lives will fall apart. What Spielberg does so well is get us to back Daniel and want him to succeed against all odds. This is a wonderful cat-and-mouse chase film, filled with car chases, big brother constantly just around the corner, and our hero, along with his loyal girlfriend and a new recruit in a shell-shocked weather caster, tries to find a way to broadcast their findings before being caught, or worse, being killed. The best thing about this film is Emily Blunt's performance, who once again shows she has the acting chops to play comedy and drama in the same film. It’s a brilliant performance (though I have some trouble with her choice of voices for Margaret, who sounds 20 years younger) and brings a lightness to the story sorely needed when things seem hopeless. This is a film that doesn’t feel anywhere close to its almost two-and-a-half-hour runtime. The film moves constantly from scene to scene as Daniel and, soon, Margaret are on the run, barely escaping the big bad government bad guys, led by a creepy performance from Colin Firth. I think anyone who has an interest in the possibility of alien life will absolutely go nuts for this film. Everyone else will be just on board for a great time. You don’t have to believe in aliens to enjoy Disclosure Day, but you do have to believe in the goodness of humanity to enjoy its ending.  My Rating: Full Price  Disclosure Day Website  Now playing in theaters everywhere

My View:  The Furious  (2025)   R  Set in Hong Kong, The Furious follows Wang Wei (Xie Miao), a mute tradesman whose life is shattered when he witnesses his daughter, Rainy, being kidnapped by an international human trafficking syndicate. He goes on a one-man rescue mission to save her and then finds an ally in an undercover journalist who is trying to find his wife, who is also missing from the same gang. I became a fan of Kung Fu films when, as the newest member of the film department of a TV station, I was given the job of editing for time and content our weekly Kung Fu Theater films. The genre has gone from campy and exploitative to films like The Raid or John Wick, where the action sequences are so well done that they dazzle you with speed and sequences that seem to go on forever. Along comes The Furious, which starts out as a father/daughter film and soon becomes a quest to utterly destroy an entire network of badges. Our hero Wang Wei (played by the incredibly athletic Xie Miao) is joined by a chain-smoking reporter, Navin (Joe Taslim), who is Wang Wei’s equal in martial arts. There is an extensive scene in a nightclub where, unbeknownst to each other, both men have gone to find a way to get information from the bad guys and locate their loved ones. The two separately fight countless attackers and then end up inside the bowels of the club, and start fighting each other until the reporter sees the picture of Wang Wei’s daughter and realizes that the two are out for the same thing. This is an incredibly violent film (I saw a father and young son leave very early in our screening) where bones are constantly being broken, and heads are being smashed with sledgehammers. The fight sequences are off-the-wall amazing, and there is a scene where Wang Wei fights what seems like a never-ending group of bad guys in a mixed martial arts ring, as he continually climbs above the bodies that are piling up beneath him. The audience at the screening I saw the film at was cheering and screaming with glee at some of the action sequences, including a huge bad guy who keeps showing up and fighting anyone within reach. If John Wick or The Raid films are your sweet spot, then this is a film you don’t want to miss. For action fans, this is a smorgasbord of flying bodies and bones being broken by the ton, and is not to be missed.   My Rating: Full Price  The Furious Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Stop! That! Train!  (2026)  R  Stop! That! Train! follows best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), train stewardesses facing unruly passengers, snooty first-class attendants, and a catastrophic storm. Together with the President (RuPaul), they must stop a runaway, high-speed train, all while keeping their mascara from running. It is very obvious that the cast was having a blast while making this film. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the audience. Although the jokes come fast and furious, the humor is lacking throughout. Most of the jokes fall incredibly flat, and the attempts at physical humor just fall, or should I say fail. I am sure fans of RuPaul and the Drag Race TV show will have fun for a while watching a ton of drag performers cascade across the screen, but I just wanted it to be funnier. There are a couple of funny running gags, one of which features Sarah Michelle Gellar and one where one of the flight attendants keeps having fantasy moments about the hunky pilot of the plane, which work really well. I just wish the rest of the script had kept that momentum going. The comedy runs out of steam long before the end. There are some outtakes and a few surprises during the credits.My Rating: Cable   Stop! That! Train! Website  Now playing in theaters 

Forgotten Film:  Lady Snowblood  (1973) In order to place blame on tax collectors, 5 people from a small village attack a family. They kill the father and daughter and then rape the mother. That mother, while in prison, then gives birth to a daughter and curses her to get revenge on the 5 people who attacked the family. The daughter, Yuki (Meiko Kaji), trains for twenty years with an assassin and then sets out to find and kill the 5 people responsible for the deaths of her parents. After the success of the Lone Wolf and Cub samurai series, the studio decided to make a samurai film with a female lead. Like the Lone Wolf films, the violence is filled with arms being chopped off and blood spurting everywhere. Yuki uses the idea that she can go just about anywhere without worrying that people will figure out she is on a mission to kill. The film’s action sequences are not quite up to par with the Lone Wolf films, but they are still fun to watch, and it is filled with some outrageous characters. The film has a bit of a surprising finish. This was definitely a film that not only inspired Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series, but Tarantino also featured the music from Lady Snowblood (sung by the lead actress Kaji) in the films.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Lady Snowblood Info   Lady Snowblood is available on most streaming services

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Furious: Washroom Attendants

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Girls Like Girls  (2026) R  Girls Like Girls takes place in rural Oregon, where Coley (Maya da Costa), a 17-year-old, is dealing with the death of her mother. Things look up when she meets the ever-popular Sonya (Myra Molloy), and the two quickly become friends. Coley realizes she is having stronger feelings for Sonya than Sonya will admit. The film is co-written and directed by Hayley Kiyoko, adapted from her best-selling book, which was an adaptation of a song with the same title she recorded in 2015.   Girls Like Girls Website  In theaters on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Until Next Time!

Masters of the Universe

My View: Masters of the Universe  (2026)  PG-13   In Masters of the Universe, a boy named Prince Adam was sent to Earth for his own safety. Two decades later, the now young man (Nicholas Galitzine) uncovers the legendary Sword of Power and is suddenly hurled into the extraordinary world of Eternia, where he must rally his long-lost allies and engage in battle to defeat the menacing, evil Skeletor. I enjoyed watching this film, though it takes a heck of a long time for our hero to discover the sword and then even longer to become “He-Man.” The film is an ode to the 80s cartoon series, using the backdrop of Adam leaving his home and living on Earth as a kid. While growing up, he constantly drew pictures of his life on Eternia, and, because he was a kid, he gave nicknames to everyone he knew, including himself (i.e., He-Man). While I felt the film went too far into Adam being a human resources worker and trying to use the same skills in talking to employees as he does when talking to people he is trying to lead into battle, or even trying to talk the bad guys out of killing him and his allies. However, the film is a fun watch, and the battle sequences are well done. I especially enjoyed Camila Mendes's performance as Teela, a warrior who knew and liked Adam when he was a kid and is now willing to follow him because he has the sword that could save her world from the evil Skeletor. I also enjoyed Jared Leto voicing Skeletor, the evil lord who seeks the Sword of Power to become even more powerful. The performance is done with a ton of tongue-in-cheek lines, including a couple of times when Skeletor does an evil laugh and doesn’t get the response he needs. The film is greatly helped by an incredibly supporting cast ,including Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn (the name says it all), Idris Elba as Teela’s father and disgraced former guard in charge of Adam’s family safety, and Kristen Wiig as the voice of a once mighty warrior robot who is now a maid. Kids are going to have fun, though the two-and-twenty-minute run-time may test their patience a bit (I know it did me). Adults reliving their childhood are going to love this, with a ton of Easter eggs and a few cameos from the past. Overall, it’s a fun ride; I just wish the big muscle blond guy had shown up a bit sooner. And be sure to stay for both a mid-credit and an end-credit scene.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Masters of the Universe Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View:  Scary Movie (2026) R  Scary Movie follows Cindy (Anna Faris) and Brenda (Regina Hall), who have reunited and must gather the rest of their friends, as the masked killer from 26 years ago returns. So we get to see some of the original cast return, including Anna Faris and Regina Hall. Add in every member of the Wayans family appearing, a running joke in itself, and this should have been funnier than this film is. In fact, I saw the film with about 20 other people, and I think I was the only one laughing at the few bits that worked. Sure, they mock Weapons, Sinners, Nope, Get Out, and a bunch of newer horror films, almost all miss the mark, making almost every joke fall incredibly flat. I will say that both Anna Faris and Regina Hall are game for just about anything and seem to have fun playing these incredible idiots. There are a bunch of cameos from the early films that I won’t give away, so fans of the series will have some fun with that. For the rest of us, Scary Movie just feels like the Wayans wrote this in about 1 week, throwing everything they could against the wall, not to see if the jokes would stick, but to see if they would just bounce back to them. Unfortunately, most of them did. There are two bonus scenes, one after the first portion of credits and a another extended scene during most of the remaining credits.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Scary Movie Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View:  Office Romance  (2026) R  Office Romance follows Jackie Cruz (Jennifer Lopez), a high-powered, no-nonsense CEO of an airline, known for its rigid anti-fraternization policy for all employees. When lawyer Daniel Blanchflower (Brett Goldstein) is hired, suddenly sparks are flying between Jackie and this new, hot-shot hire. Will Jackie risk losing everything she’s built and drag Daniel down with her in pursuit of love? Look, I really like Jennifer Lopez and loved Brett Goldstein in Ted Lasso; this film made me dislike their characters. For two characters who are in very important jobs, they are two really stupid people who are having an affair without thinking that a very famous person would be seen out with someone else. Instead, we are to believe that these two keep their romance hidden from anyone with an iPhone, while only a private detective discovers them. The film wants us to love Daniel because he has come from a rough childhood in England and is now a successful lawyer. The film also wants us to love Jackie because, despite the board and her father challenging her every move, she has created a successful airline. To say this isn’t your usual rom-com would be an understatement. It’s crass and foul-mouthed, with the F word being used with abandon, often for no reason. Office Romance then wants us to believe that Lopez is so beautiful that our lawyer (hero?) gets an erection when they first meet, so much so that Jackie can’t notice. That was my first sign that this film would keep going for cheap, shocking jokes. This cheap, shocking humor continues, as when Jackie's determined-to-work assistant goes into labor in Daniel's office, and the camera lingers twice, on a close-up of the baby's head crowning. The so-called fun continues as we see a man almost die choking on a breakfast burrito, a woman get so drunk she breaks a tooth falling over on a date, and the HR head (Tony Hale) is shocked when Daniel continually keeps using an obscene word that goes on way too long. Some may find Office Romance funny or charming, but for me, it just left me reaching for the airsickness bag. And to make matters worse, there is a series of very unfunny scenes during the credits in which the beleaguered HR person endures a parade of office romance confessions.  My Rating: Cable  Office Romance Website   Now playing on the Netflix platform

Indiefest:  Carolina Caroline  (2026)  R  In Carolina Caroline, a young woman working at a gas station, Caroline (Samara Weaving), meets a charismatic drifter, Oliver (Kyle Gallner), and impulsively embarks on a journey to master the art of the con. The pair will blaze a trail of deceit and deception until their luck inevitably runs out. This is a Bonnie and Clyde-type cross-country crime spree film that, like that 1967 film, you know won’t be ending on a happy note. The film works because of the sparks between Samara Weaving, as the waitress who wants to escape her life, and Kyle Gallner, who is willing to show her how to hit the road and live an endless life of con jobs. What starts out as a game for Caroline soon becomes real as their con jobs become more and more dangerous, as the couple wants more and more thrills. Caroline soon learns that people get hurt and cons can go bad, but must decide if it's worth it to stay with a man who only knows how to lie for a living. What makes Caroline interesting is her connection to home and a father who cares about her and insists on keeping in touch as she travels across the country. Caroline is also on a mission to find her long-lost mother. While I won’t reveal the story, Kyra Sedgwick gives a brilliant performance as Caroline’s mother, rounding out the film's strong cast. This is a tale of star-crossed lovers that is sure not to end well. Or does it?  My Rating: Full Price  Carolina Caroline Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Silent Friend  (2025)  Silent Friend revolves around a majestic Ginkgo biloba tree as it watches humans over the course of a century, observing their lives marked by longing, belonging, and consciousness. The story follows three storylines, set in 1908, 1972, and 2020, set in a university town in Germany. The three stories are: the university’s first female student, in 1908, who is challenged by her professors and fellow students, finds solace through the lens of a camera, studying plants through her pictures. An awkward student in 1972 meets a woman whose project is a geranium she is studying to see if it can be proven to bond with her. He is tasked with caring for the plant while the young woman is on vacation, and his life is changed when he connects with the plant. And a neuroscientist who is stuck alone on campus when Covid hits, and he decides to find out whether he can see the same type of brain waves humans have in the giant tree that has been on the university grounds for all this time. The film follows how each person tries to connect with nature, and we see how the tree responds, even if the people don’t know it’s happening. The three people undergo their own metamorphoses as they attempt to connect with nature, each in their own way. This is a fantastic journey of discovery, seen from the tree’s quiet perspective on how nature reacts to us, even as we often ignore it. Silent Friend is about trying to belong when you don’t feel part of the group, but if you let yourself be open to new ideas and feelings, you might find the bond with nature you have been missing.  My Rating:  Full Price  Silent Friend Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  After Life  (1998)   After Life follows recently deceased people who arrive in a mysterious place, where they have three days to choose the single memory they will bring with them into eternity. A group of counselors, including Takashi (Arata lura) and Shiori (Erika Oda), are on hand to help new arrivals pick their memory, helping them go over what was most important to them. The counselors will then create a film that will allow the people to relive their memory and move on. The film is by Japanese writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for his recent award-winning films Shoplifters (2018), Like Father, Like Son (2013), and Monster (2023). This is a beautiful, warm, and funny film that explores not only the lives of the people trying to pick a memory but also the counselors working hard to help each person pick the perfect memory. One of the fascinating things about this film is that Kore-eda filmed over 500 hours of interviews with ordinary people about which memory they would want to remember. He then used some of those interviewed for the film, so some of the people are actors, and others are ordinary people telling their own stories. This is one of those films that, while watching it, you are invited to reflect on your own life and pick which memory you would choose, joining the film’s journey of wonderment and self-discovery.  My Rating: Full Price   After Life Info   Available to rent on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Masters of the Universe: Pig Boy Artist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Toy Story 5 (2026)  PG   When Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang meet LilyPad, a chatty electronic toy, their connection to playtime is put to the test. New characters join the fun, including one voiced by Conan O’Brien.  Toy Story 5 Website  The film will be released in theaters everywhere on Friday, June 19, 2026 

Until Next Time!

Power Ballad

My View: Power Ballad  (2026)   R  In Power Ballad, Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a past-his-prime musician singing in an Irish wedding band. Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band star who is desperate to put his old image behind him, joins Rick and his band on stage at a wedding for one song. The two musicians bond, get drunk, and spend the night jamming. Months later, Rick discovers that a song he wrote has been stolen by Danny and has become his breakout hit. Rick is about to go on a quest to reclaim his song and restore his reputation. This film is from John Carney, the Irish writer-director behind Sing Street, one of my favorite films of the past 15 years. This time, instead of a romance, we get a bit of a bromance, with Rick and Danny having a great time late at night playing and discussing music. The film does a brilliant job of giving us two characters who love music: Rick, who left a big-time music career because he fell in love, and Danny, a man desperate to prove he isn’t just a boy band member but a true musician. When Rick shares a song he wrote long ago, it’s the song that Danny has been looking for to make his solo career take off. The problem is that Danny stole the song from Rick, and now Rick wants Danny to admit it. This is a funny, fun look at how music can change lives and mean so much to so many people. It’s also about how personal songs can be, and how sometimes the music world isn’t fair or just. Paul Rudd gives a winning performance as the wedding singer who loves playing music but also loves his family life. We want Rick to win in this war between a small-time player and the big music machine that Danny is a part of. Rudd carries the film as its heart and soul, though Nick Jonas does a fine job as Danny, a man who wants to be a big star on his own and is willing to screw someone to get it. The film has a terrific soundtrack, and the song that Danny steals is incredibly moving and catchy. My only quibble is that I wanted more original songs, but I guess when your main character is a wedding singer, he’s kind of stuck singing the old standards. Power Ballad is an incredibly enjoyable film that will leave you with a song or two stuck in your head. And in this case, it’s a good thing. My Rating: Full Price  Power Ballad Website  Now playing in select theaters and releases everywhere nationwide on June 5, 2026

My View: Tuner  (2025) R Tuner is about Niki (Leo Woodall), an apprentice to master piano tuner Henry (Dustin Hoffman). Niki has a hearing condition that allows him to hear incredibly well. When Henry has huge medical bills to pay, Niki starts working for a mob boss (Lior Raz) who uses Niki’s talent to hear the mechanisms inside a safe, allowing him to open almost anything. But crossing into this dangerous world soon puts everything Niki values at risk. Leo Woodall gives a mesmerizing performance in this film that artfully blends the conventions of a buddy movie, a romance, and a crime thriller. Woodall is perfect as Niki, a man who was a talented pianist but then developed a condition in which his hearing is incredibly sensitive; he constantly wears earplugs to function, but his hearing has perfect pitch, allowing him to master the job of piano tuner. The chemistry between Dustin Hoffman and Woodall is so much fun to watch as they have a grandfather/grandson type of back and forth that allows Hoffman’s character to tell stories and sleep while Niki does all the heavy lifting in the piano tuning business. The strongest scenes are the ones with Hoffman and Woodall as the two go from job to job, with a running joke that they get asked to do things like fix a toilet while tuning a piano. Niki soon discovers by accident that he has a talent for safe-cracking and is soon involved with a mobster, Uri (Lior Raz), who uses Niki to crack safes in rich homes. Along the way, Niki meets student composer Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), and soon they are in the midst of a romance. The film does an artful job of mixing the new romance with the crime heists, as Niki makes money to pay for Henry’s hospital bills. The film develops into a thriller when Niki realizes he needs to sever his ties with Uri, but we know Uri isn’t going to give up his cash cow without a fight. This storyline keeps you wanting more and engaged in the lives of Niki, Henry, and Ruthie as we worry about how things will turn out. The ending may surprise you. My Rating: Full Price  Tuner Website   Now playing in theaters

My View:  Backrooms  (2026)  R  Backrooms follows Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a furniture store owner who discovers that his store has an otherworldly dimension full of rooms that seem to go on forever. When Clark goes missing, his therapist, Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve), sets out to find him. The first two-thirds of this film, directed by YouTuber and first-time director Kane Parsons, are scary as heck. Clark isn’t a character that we like (he has a lot of problems, anger being one of them), and we can see why he is seeing Dr. Kline. However, once Clark discovers the secret world inside his store, with endless rooms filled with stop signs and chairs that seem to be stuck in the floor, the tension builds and doesn’t let up. Parsons has an eye for creating a world in which each room Clark explores becomes more puzzling and, at times, menacing.  Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve are both compelling in their roles, with Ejiofor shifting back and forth between wonder and fright, and Reinsve as the curious, headstrong woman who soon realizes that Clark wasn’t lying or imagining this bizarre world.  This is an unnerving film that keeps throwing more and more at you, without ever explaining anything. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t sustain the tension, and the final third lets us down. It’s as if Parsons didn’t know how his film would turn out, making it feel unresolved and flat. Which is a shame because the first two-thirds of Backrooms is scary. Maybe it was just one too many rooms to go into.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Backrooms Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: Pressure  (2026)  PG-13   Pressure takes place 72 hours before D-Day, with the invasion of Europe days away, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) has to decide whether to launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history. Eisenhower calls in meteorologist James Stagg (Andrew Scott) to deliver a forecast that could win or lose the war. The film tries very hard to keep the tension going throughout, though, spoiler alert, we know that the weather broke and the invasion went on the 6th of June. I liked Scott, the British meteorologist who went against almost everyone else on his team, telling Eisenhower that the weather would be too severe to mount the invasion successfully. Fraser is fine as Eisenhower, but isn’t given much to do beyond showing up and demanding answers. Kerry Condon puts some life into the film as Kay Summersby, Eisenhower’s right-hand woman who keeps everyone on track. The film feels rather slow and spends significant time explaining weather maps to both Eisenhower and us. Ultimately, since most of the action is confined to a single room, the story’s tension and character driven focus seem better suited to the intimacy and immediacy of stage performance than to film. Though I will admit, it is fun to hear Ike talk about kicking some Nazi ass.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Pressure Website Now in theaters

My View: The Breadwinner  (2026)   PG  The Breadwinner takes place when Nate’s (Nate Bargatze) wife, Katie (Mandy Moore), lands a Shark Tank deal, but only after Nate stumbles into an agreement on national TV to switch roles with her and become a stay-at-home dad to their three daughters. What could go wrong for the month his wife is on a business trip? The movies have a tradition (TV too) of putting stand-up comics in situations they have talked about in their comedy. This idea has been done before, with Michael Keaton giving a hilarious performance in Mr. Mom. So, they throw Nate into this mix. They tried to help Nate out by surrounding him with some comic talent in Colin Jost as another stay-at-home dad, Kumail Nanjiani as a car salesman rival, and Will Forte as a bumbling roofer, but they stumble badly due to such a poor script and Nate’s constant deadpan delivery.  In fact, Nanjiani looks incredibly uncomfortable in his role as a trying-too-hard, jealous salesman. The storyline just keeps adding on how badly Nate is handling everything to the point where you just want it to stop. I mean, the man never tried to Google a damn thing on how to do anything. The kids aren’t funny at all, and the situations that they put them in are so predictable that you know what is going to happen before it does. I looked at my watch, thinking I had about 30 minutes left in the 90-minute film, and instead I had an hour to go. And if you are a fan of Nate’s standup, no need to see this film, since during the credits they show him doing his standup, and a bunch of the stuff in the movie he talks about in his comedy. Let’s put it this way: Nate is no Michael Keaton, Moore can’t compare to Terri Garr, and Nate and fellow screenwriter Dan Lagana don’t have John Hughes wit and heart.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again The Breadwinner Website  Now in theaters nationwide

My View:  Miss You, Love You  (2026) Miss You, Love You follows Diane (Allison Janney), a grieving widow forced to plan her husband’s funeral with a total stranger, her estranged son’s assistant, Jamie (Andrew Rannells), who has been sent in place of the son. This collaboration will reveal old family secrets and long-buried resentments. Allison Janney delivers a tour de force performance as a grieving widow who is hurt that her only son is not showing up to help with the funeral preparations of his stepfather. She instantly takes it out on Jamie, an assistant to her son, who is game to try to help Diane any way he can. The first scene where Jamie shows up at her doorstep is a master class on how to demand the screen by Janney, who, in the course of just a few minutes, makes it very clear that while she will tolerate Jamie staying at her home, she will not lift a finger to help him in any way (including pouring him a drink of water). Rannells holds his own in his scenes with Janney, but she gets all the funny or cutting lines and has “side eye” down to perfection. As the two spend time together, the multiple layers each person has put up around themselves are slowly revealed, and we get to see why both are very hurt and fragile people who constantly deny their pain. The film is often funny thanks to Diane's wit, but its core explores grief and long-buried past issues. Miss You, Love You is a film of impactful moments with both actors making each count.  My Rating: Full Price     Miss You, Love You Info   Now playing on HBO Max

My View: Propeller One-Way Night Coach  (2026) Propeller One-Way Night Coach is about aviation enthusiast Jeff (Clark Shotwell) and his mother, Helen (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett), who embark on a cross-country overnight flight in 1962 from New York to L.A. that will be filled with unexpected moments. Based on a children’s book that John Travolta wrote 30 years ago, Mr. Travolta decided it was time this story was made into a movie. Now, someone should have told writer/director/narrator John Travolta that in order to be eligible for the Academy Awards, a short film has to be shorter than 40 minutes. Oh, if only someone had given him that information. Instead, this film drags on and on for just over an hour. If you didn’t know, John in real life is an aviation nut and used to own a Boeing 707 (which was 145 feet long and 130-foot wingspan). This film is an ode to when plane travel was still about wearing a suit and tie, being served full-course meals, and kids being able to go up to the cockpit and talk to the pilots. I am guessing that since it’s based on a children’s book, Mr. Travolta thinks this is a family film. Well, we find out right away, through the kids’ narration (voiced by John as an adult looking back on the trip), that his mom was on the prowl and, at one point in the movie, has a one-night stand. The film, through the narration, goes on and on about the plane that they are flying on. And I mean in detail. The story goes nowhere, and the narration is excessive. Hey John, next time, let the kid tell us instead of your voice-over that drones on and on. Nothing much happens (other than Mom trying to pick up every man she meets), and the ending tries too hard to be cute. About the only fun you can have is with a drinking game for spot-the-Travoltas, because there are a bunch of them in this film. I’m sure that Apple gave John the green light to make this vanity piece so that he would star in something else. I hope he hasn’t talked them into a return flight. Oh, stewardess (sorry, it’s 1962), I’ll have another drink now. I think I see another Travolta.  My Rating: Cable  Propeller One-Way Night Coach Info  Now playing on the Apple TV+ format

Forgotten Film: Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972) I hadn’t seen this movie since I saw it at a midnight screening while in college. While I remembered that the film was incredibly violent, with blood spurting out with abandon and limbs being whacked off, I had forgotten about the nudity and the sex scene. Lots of women’s breasts, which I am sure got a hearty R rating in Japan (probably wasn’t rated in the States since it was mostly shown in art houses and college campuses. What makes this work is that the samurai is a savage killer, but he loves his wife and son. One of the best scenes in the film is when he asks his one-year-old to choose between a samurai’s life and being killed to be with his mother, having to choose between a sword and a colorful ball. The fight sequences are fun and action-packed, and watching the Lone Wolf outsmart everyone is a blast. The film is a must for any exploitation film fan.   My Rating: Full Price   Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengance Info  Available to rent on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+

Weird Credits: From the credits of Tuner:  Stunt Pre-Visualization

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Office Romance  (2026) R Office Romance follows Jackie Cruz (Jennifer Lopez), a high-powered, no-nonsense CEO of an airline, known for its rigid anti-fraternization policy for all employees. When lawyer Daniel Blanchflower (Brett Goldstein) is hired, suddenly sparks are flying between Jackie and this new, hot-shot hire. Will Jackie risk losing everything she’s built and drag Daniel down with her in pursuit of love? The film was written by Brett Goldstein and Joe Kelly while both were working on the Ted Lasso TV series, specifically for Jennifer Lopez.  Office Romance Website  Premieres on Netflix on Friday, June 5, 2026

Until Next Time!

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

My View: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu  (2026)  PG-13  Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu follows Din Djarin/The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu after the fall of the Galactic Empire. As the remaining warlords threaten the galaxy, the New Republic enlists Din Djarin and Grogu to rescue Rotta the Hutt in exchange for information on a New Republic target. If you are an avid watcher of the Mandalorian TV series, then you will enjoy this film. If you are a Star Wars fan but know little about the Mandalorian series, you will enjoy the Easter Eggs that are rampant in this film. If you are a child, regardless of whether or not you are a Star Wars fan, you will enjoy this film because of all the monsters that show up, with a lot of them fighting each other. If you aren’t a viewer of the series, I am guessing you won’t think much of this film, other than that Grogu is cute and there sure are a lot of ugly monsters. This film is much like the series; it’s enjoyable, but other than the relationship between the Mandalorian and Grogu, there’s not much there. The film feels very much like two or three episodes of the series being patched together. Fans of Pedro Pascal who have never seen the series will be disappointed to learn that, for most of the film, he wears a helmet (there is a reason for it, very poorly explained in this film). Grogu is damn cute and fun to watch, but cuteness only gets you so far in an overly long film that exceeds two hours. I liked the film, but I am a fan of the series, though I was disappointed by how little they let Sigourney Weaver on-screen. And yes, Martin Scorsese voices a very funny character of a food vendor that the Mandalorian keeps coming back to, buying information off the multi-armed cook. I enjoyed the airborne battles and the monster fights, but the film doesn’t bring much to the Star Wars canon and is way too long to rest on the little wrinkled guy’s shoulders.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Mandalorian and Grogu Website   Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War  (2026) R  In Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) has been out of the game for a few years and is enjoying life as a civilian. He is then asked to rejoin the team and complete one last job for his country. Jack reunites with his team to stop a renegade Black Ops team that seems to know every one of Jack’s team’s moves. And that’s because they were once the good guys. I will admit that I have never watched the John Krasinski series, but I have seen all the theatrical films based on the Jack Ryan character and read a couple of the early books. So I know enough about our hero that I could walk into this by-the-numbers action film and have a reasonably fun time. I like Krasinski in the role, giving Jack a bit more of a sense of humor than the performances of Alec Baldwin or Harrison Ford gave the role. The film also does a good job of letting us in on Jack's relationships with his CIA pals. And I had fun with the new addition to the cast in Sienna Miller’s tough-as-nails, cynical MI6 agent who figures out quickly how to trigger Jack’s buttons. The film doesn’t take many chances but does plug along with a few twists and turns, and I wish I could have seen it on the big screen for the big car chase, which is exciting on the streets of London. Is it worth a watch on the Amazon streamer? Sure. Did it make me want to go back and watch the series? No, but hey, if Krasinski gets the idea to make another one, I’ll watch it.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War Website  Now on the Amazon Prime platform

Indiefest:  I Love Boosters  (2026)   R  In I Love Boosters, an “outlaw trio” of shoplifters (Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige) target a high-end designer (Demi Moore), aiming to make fashion accessible by stealing her clothes and reselling them at lower prices, calling it “fashion-forward philanthropy.” I really liked Boots Riley’s first film, Sorry to Bother You, which I described as a “one-of-a-kind film that starts out being funny, then turns into a weird sci-fi film that you never quite know where it will end up.” I can say the same thing for this film, with the exception that I didn’t find it very funny at all. I may be the exception to the rule, because at the sold-out closing night of the Atlanta Film Festival, the crowd was on the floor laughing at almost everything in this very strange film that wants to be a commentary on class warfare, consumerism, and how the fashion industry is bloated and self-important. The film is all over the place and keeps you guessing where it is going to go (I quit trying to figure that out about a third of the way in). The film is off the chain weird and doesn’t bother with much of a plotline, but bounces around using fantasy, sci-fi, and even a bit of horror to keep the audience from knowing where the heck it is going next. I am not a big fan of avant-garde filmmaking, and this film was just too weird for me to find it funny or enjoyable. But as I saw with the ATLFF audience, your mileage may vary, and consider this a blast to watch. There is a bonus scene after the final credits that is worth sticking around for.  My Rating: Cable  I Love Boosters Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Passenger  (2026)  R  Passenger follows a couple (Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell) on a road trip who witness a deadly accident. They soon realize that they did not leave the crash scene alone. A demonic presence that is impossible to outrun follows the couple wherever they go. This is a film that could have used a few more drafts, as the cast is let down by a script that can’t sustain the thrills throughout. The film is a play on the old wives’ tale that says never stop for an accident at night. The film has a few good scares, but doesn’t live up to the excellent opening sequence (most of which can be seen in the trailer). I think one of the problems is that we just don’t care enough about the couple to bring up the stakes of the film. A couple of scenes stand out. One takes place in a nighttime parking lot where every time Maddie turns her back on their van, it gets further away. And there is a cool scene using a movie projector out in the woods. However, most of the scares are the usual ‘jump out of the dark’ type, and we never truly get a reason why the “passenger” picks the couple or what its mission is. My first clue that there was a problem with this film was that the couple constantly brought up PBS staple Bob Ross. I guess this film didn’t have enough “happy little trees.”  My Rating: Cable   Passenger Website  Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film: El Mariachi  (1992) R   The film that launched Robert Rodriguez’s career is a blueprint for anyone shooting on a shoestring budget. Rodriquez wrote the script while in a two-week stay at a facility testing drugs on willing participants. The film is about a young Mariachi singer who stumbles into a town looking for work and is mistaken for a hitman. A mob boss has put out a hit on a man in black with a guitar case, and our hero is now in deep trouble. The film is action-packed and has the typical Rodriguez humor in spots to keep the movie moving. The film, shot for around 7,000 dollars, puts many action films of the 80s and 90s to shame, with a hero to root for and action sequences that work incredibly well. Rodriguez directed a sequel to the film, Desperado (1995), starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, in which the mariachi returns to the town to finish what he started.   My Rating: Full Price  El Mariachi Info  Available to rent on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Mandalorian and Grogu: Unreal Engine Support

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Masters of the Universe  (2026) PG-13  In Masters of the Universe, a boy named Prince Adam was sent to Earth for his own safety. Two decades later, the young man (Nicholas Galitzine) discovers the mythical Sword of Power and is suddenly transported to Eternia, where he must unite with his allies to defeat Skeletor. The all-star cast includes Jared Leto as Skeletor, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, James Purefoy as King Randor, Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Kristen Wiig as the voice of Roboto.  Masters of the Universe Website  The film will be released nationwide on Friday, June 5, 2026.

Until Next Time!