Jason Bourne

My View:  Jason Bourne  (2016)  PG-13  Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) now remembers who he is, so, it's time to find some answers.  I have liked the Bourne series, especially the action sequences. After a great opening scene where Bourne takes a fighter down in one punch,  the film quickly goes downhill with sloppy fight sequences shot in “shaky cam” style and a car chase sequence that was so badly done it was hard to figure out what was happening. The chase through the streets of Las Vegas was so ludicrous that, when the chase ends with one of the cars crashing into a casino, I was expecting a close up of a slot machine dinging and giving up coins. Some of the dialogue, especially those delivered by Tommy Lee Jones, are laughable. I was disappointed in the bland performance that Alicia Vikander gave, though I suspect that the script, which has her n line to be the CIA director at age 28, had a great deal to do with said performance. Mr. Bourne, it's time to retire.   My Rating: Cable   Jason Bourne Website

My View:  Nerve  (2016)  PG-13  A high school Senior, Vee (Emma Roberts), tries out an online game of truth or dare. At first, the game is easy, and the rewards are worth the risk, but soon, it is very evident that Vee is in over her head, and this game could become deadly.  Back in 1995, when The Net was released, we didn't know enough about computers to know that Sandra Bullock couldn't really bring down the internet with a floppy disk. It's 2016 and even I know that a couple of teen hackers are not going to be able to take down an internet game with a couple of keystrokes, but that's what this film wants you to believe.  I enjoyed the first half of this film, mostly because the dares that Vee gets were creative and fun. The film starts running out of gas when the dares become more dangerous and less creative. I did enjoy the performance of Emily Meade, who plays Roberts’ more adventurous best friend, which gives some life to the film. Unfortunately, the film's ending, which can be seen from a mile away, is just too simple to really work.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Nerve Website

My View:  Bad Moms  (2016)  R  Three moms (Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell) have been pushed to their limit by the PTA, making lunches and managing after-school activities for their kids. It's time for the moms to hit back and have some fun. I had a great time watching this movie.  While it takes a little while to take off, once Kathryn Hahn’s raunchy mom shows up, the film is a blast to watch. The three women play off each other effortlessly and they all have great comedic timing. Christina Applegate is perfect as the mom who runs the PTA with an iron hand. Go have a glass of wine and enjoy your time with some “Bad Moms.”   My Rating: Full Price   Bad Moms Website

Indiefest:  Café Society  (2016)  PG-13  Bobby Dorrman (Jesse Eisenberg) leaves his home in New York in the 1930's and moves to Hollywood to try and make a name for himself. He lands a job with his Uncle Phil (Steve Carrell).  While in Hollywood, Bobby meets Phil's secretary, Vonnie (Kristen Stewart). He begins dating Vonnie not knowing that she is secretly having an affair with his uncle.  Who would have thought that after that first Twilight film I would be saying this, but Kristen Stewart has become one of my favorite actresses, and she doesn't disappoint  with a dazzling performance in this latest Woody Allen film. This is a beautiful film to watch, and it's clear that Allen has a reverence for the Hollywood of yesteryear. This is an enjoyable film, though I did want it to be funnier as it has too little out and out laughs.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Cafe Society Website

Indiefest:  Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words  (2016)  R  In-depth documentary about the life and music of legendary avant-garde musician Frank Zappa. This is one of the best documentaries of the year. The film does not have a narrator but lets Zappa, appearing on talk shows and interviews with reporters, tell his story. I never have been a fan of his music, finding it very strange and involved, but I always was a fan of the man, himself, and this film just confirms my admiration. The film is full of rare footage of concerts that show just how crazy Zappa's music was.  This is a fascinating film about a very complex and complicated man.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Eat That Question Website   

Forgotten Film:  The Night Before  (1988)  Winston (Keanu Reeves) wakes up in the middle of the street, his date is missing, his car is gone, and his tux jacket is full of money. When he starts remembering his night, he will probably want to forget it. This is a strange coming-of-age teen comedy that I like because halfway through the film, it becomes a little dark. It seems that Winston, in a drunken state, has sold his prom date (Lori Loughlin) to a local pimp, and he has to rescue her before she gets sold to a sex slave dealer. I told you it goes a little dark. It's not a great film, but if you want something a little different, this will fill the role.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Night Before Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Jason Bourne: Special Effects Teeth

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   The Edge of Seventeen (2016)  High school life for Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) is already pretty bad, but it gets worse when her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her popular older brother (Blake Jenner).  I love Woody Harrelson in the trailer as Nadine's teacher that she looks to for guidance.   The Edge of Seventeen Info

Until Next Time!

Star Trek Beyond

My View:  Star Trek Beyond  (2016)  PG-13  The USS Enterprise is halfway into their five-year mission. The ship is attacked by an unknown alien force and, after having to abandon ship, the crew finds their lives are hanging in the balance. This is the first for the reboot series not to be directed by J.J. Abrams, so no more lens flare in every shot. What I liked about this film is that this series is no longer the Kirk and Spock show as this movie allows the rest of the cast to share the spotlight, especially Zoe Saldana, who plays Uhura, whose character is just as important to the plot as Kirk and Spock. Idris Elba is everything you want in the bad guy, strong and powerful with a great screen presence. The film moves at a fast pace, the action sequences are well done, and the film deals well with the passing of Leonard Nimoy, who was such a vital cog in the first two reboot films. You will love how they battle the bad guys near the end of the film. Overall, even a mild Star Trek fan is going to thoroughly enjoy this movie. Beam me up Scotty!  My Rating: Full Price   Star Trek Beyond Website

Family Faire:  Ice Age: Collision Course  (2016)  PG   Manny (Ray Romano), with the help of Buck (Simon Pegg), must lead his family and friends on a journey to try and find a way to stop an asteroid from hitting the earth.  Can Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox please stop making these films?  The series wasn’t the strongest of animated ideas, to begin with, but now it’s downright annoying.  The film features the weakest of the Ice Age characters, Scrat, the acorn-addicted squirrel. This movie isn’t fun or funny, and the kids that were at my screening couldn’t care less about the film. You know it’s a bad film when you look at your watch two hours into the movie, and it’s really only been thirty minutes.    My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See It Again   Ice Age: Collision Course Website

My View:  Lights Out  (2016) PG-13   Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) and her brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) are being tormented by a spirit that is only visible in the dark.  I normally don’t like the “jump out of the dark” kind of scary movies, but this is the exception to the rule. The bad guy in this film is some sort of Demon who lives in the dark and can’t stand the light. Teresa Palmer is perfect as the strong-willed and slightly flawed Rebecca.  Maria Bello, as Rebecca’s mentally unstable mother, is ablaze on the screen, giving a frenzied performance of a woman on the hinge of insanity. There are plenty of screams built into this rollercoaster ride of a horror film.    My Rating: Full Price   Lights Out Website

My View:  Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie  R  Edina (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) are having to hide out in the south of France after causing a worldwide incident by knocking Kate Moss into the River Thames.  I was a big fan of the TV show so I’m sorry to say that the Ab Fab girls should have stayed away from the big screen.  The laughs are too few and far between, and the humor is very broad, which most of the time lands with a thud. The film feels as if it was only made for a British audience.  I didn’t recognize some of the countless cameos in the movie that maybe were lost on me.  I guess we just can’t revisit the 90’s, at least not with these two.  My Rating: Cable   Absolutely Fabulous Website

Indiefest:  Captain Fantastic  (2016) R  Ben (Viggo Mortensen) is raising his family of six kids “off the grid” in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. His wife suddenly dies while she was away in an institution for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Ben, against the wishes of his wife’s parents, decides to take the family on a road trip to his wife’s funeral.  Mortensen is a force of nature on the screen as the father who is trying to keep his very unusual family together. Right from the start you know this is not a normal family, as we see the kids hunt down and kill a deer with only a knife. We see the family dynamic at work as the family returns to their home out in the wilderness.  Some of the kids are dressing the deer as others read or make art, all the while the father tells them they have training in an hour. This film is a treat to watch, mostly due to the kids in the cast.  Each one of them has great chemistry with Mortensen, making this strange family seem real. This is part a coming of age film and part travel film, as the family experiences things like junk food for the first time. This movie is a joy to watch, and you will root for this family to succeed in its “mission.”    My Take:  Full Price   Captain Fantastic Website

Indiefest:  Microbe and Gasoline  (2015)  R  Daniel (Ange Dargent) and Theo (Theophile Baquet) are two misfit kids who decide to build their unique car and travel across the country.  I enjoyed this coming of age adventure which explores two boys trying to figure out their place in the world. Microbe comes off as the much more serious of the two, with his several perceived problems always weighing him down. Theo is more of a fun-loving kid with a devil-may-care attitude. What I liked about this film are the conversations that the two boys have as they are on their adventure.  The chemistry between Theophile Baquet playing Theo and Ange Dargent playing Daniel is spectacular. The two share a bond on the screen that makes this film entertaining and work so well. Microbe & Gasoline is an adventure with two boys on their way to manhood.   My Rating: Full Price   Microbe & Gasoline Info 

Forgotten Film:  The New Centurions  (1972) R  Roy (Stacy Keach) is a rookie cop who has joined the LAPD to make ends meet while he finishes law school. His partner is a gruff veteran (George C. Scott) who breaks all the rules to keep the streets of L.A. safe.  This is a gritty look at what it looked and felt like being a cop in a big city in the early seventies.  Scott is brilliant as the vet cop. I especially enjoyed the performance of Rosalind Cash, who plays the love interest for Keach. The film has a few flaws, feeling especially dated from time to time, but Scott and Cash make it worth a watch.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The New Centurions Info   

Weird Credits: From the credits of Star Trek Beyond: Off Camera Singer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Suicide Squad  (2016) PG-13  A secret government agency turns to a group of super-villains to stop a black ops mission.  If the movie is half as good as its trailers, it’s going to be astonishing. I think this will make Margot Robbie a superstar.    Suicide Squad Website

Until Next Time!

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Ghostbusters

My View: Ghostbusters  (2016)  Erin (Kristen Wiig) and Abby (Melissa McCarthy) write a book that states that ghosts are real. When ghosts invade Manhattan, the author pair team up with Jillian (Kate McKinnon),  a nuclear engineer, and  Patty (Leslie Jones), to try and save the world from an evil and powerful demon, Rowan (Neil Casey). I had a great time watching this film. There are some subtle homages to the first Ghostbusters movies, but it’s really an original idea for a movie. I would have liked McCarthy to be a little more animated in her part, but Kate McKinnon more than makes up for that with an incredibly wacky performance. Chris Hemsworth is brilliant as the dumb as rocks receptionist who gets the job based only on his good looks. There are a lot of cameos, some really work but it is very obvious that Bill Murray didn't want to do this film from his performance. The film was shot in 3-D, and it shows, with some the ghost appearances using the technology to the fullest. There are two bonus scenes, one after the main credits and another, which sets up a possible sequel, after all the credits.   My Rating:  Full Price   Ghostbusters Website

My View:  The Infiltrator  (2016)  R  A U.S. customs official (Bryan Cranston) uncovers a money laundering scheme that traces all the way back to drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. I kept thinking  as I watched this film, this is a really good TV movie, the kind that you used to see every week back in the 70’s. But this isn’t a TV movie, and it’s just too slow and procedural to be interesting. Bryan Cranston gives what he can to the film, and he does an excellent job, but he is let down by the pacing and the script. The rest of the cast isn’t given much to do with the exception of Diane Kruger, who does an excellent job playing Cranston’s undercover partner. I just wish that this film had given Cranston more to work with.  My Rating; Bargain Matinee  The Infiltrator Website

Indiefest:  Breaking a Monster  (2015)  Documentary about three 13-year-old boys who form a Metal band, get discovered playing on the streets of New York, and, within a year, are on the bill of big outdoor concerts. Documentary about three 13-year-old boys who form a Metal band called "Unlocking the Truth," get discovered playing on the streets of New York, and, within a year, are on the bill of big outdoor concerts.  This is an entertaining film that follows the trials and tribulations of three teen boys dealing with school, girls and video games while trying to become rock stars. We get to the see the band perform live at concerts, and we see them record their first single. The most interesting apect of the film is how their manager (who created Welcome Back Kotter and discovered the Jonas Brothers) tries to keep them focused on music, not on what normal kids are interested in. The band becomes disillusioned when the record company is slow to get them into the studio, and we get to see the kids act out a bit. The film does get you to worry about the kids and if they are being taken for a ride. And, oh, by the way, the kids can actually play music!   My Rating: Full Price   Breaking a Monster Website

Indiefest:  The Innocents  (2016)  R  In 1945 Poland, a young French Red Cross doctor (Lou de Laage) is dealing with the aftermath of World War II. She is sent to assist the survivors of a German prison camp.  She soon discovers in a local convent that several of the nuns there are in advanced stages of pregnancy.Lou de Laage gives another breathtaking performance as the doctor who decides on her own to help the nuns with their pregnancies. De Laage is brilliant in the role, making her character someone that we want to know. The cinematography in the film is a wonder as the film looks almost as if it is shot in black and white, contributing greatly to the starkness of film.  This is a tough movie to watch due to its subject matter but ultimately it’s worth the effort.   My Rating: Full Price   The Innocents Info   

Indiefest:  Hunt for the Wilderpeople  (2016)  PG-13  Ricky (Julian Dennison), a 12-year-old Maori boy, obsessed with rap songs, is brought to a remote New Zealand farm run by Hec (Sam Neill) and his wife, Bella (Rima Te Wiata). Hec and Bella are going to be his foster aunt and uncle for the next few months. Slowly but surely Bella works her charm, and Ricky gradually grows to like living on the farm; that is if he can stay out of the sights of Hec, who barely tolerates the boy.  Just as Ricky starts feeling apart of the family, Bella dies unexpectedly. Ricky decides to run away, and Hec goes after him, taking them on a trip that will change both their lives. This is a joyous film that celebrates that people, no matter how different their personalities are, can still find comfort and love in shared experiences. Waititi is subtle in his building of scenes, letting us enjoy small moments like Ricky pretending to dance to a Walkman he made of grass as Hec looks on in wonderment. It’s those little scenes that let us get inside the characters and see how they interact with each other. “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is a beautiful, magical film that you won’t want to end. I am in fact ready to go on another adventure with Hec and Ricky.   My Take: Full Price   Hunt for the Wilderpeople Website 

Indiefest:  Undrafted  (2016)  12 ragtag teammates are playing a playoff game in an intermural league. Their opposing team is filled with ringers, but there is hope because John, is about to be a professional ballplayer. Right before the start of the game, the team finds out that John wasn’t drafted, and his professional career is over before it even started. Can the team rally and beat the semi-pros or will John’s undrafted status cause the team to fall apart? This is a fun and funny film filled with outlandish characters. I especially enjoy the performances of Ryan Pinkston, who plays an overzealous catcher, Joe Mazzello (who wrote and directed the film) as an outfielder with anger issues, and Tyler Hoechlin, who plays a relief pitcher suddenly having to become a starter.  There are some absurd and ludicrous moments that are just brilliant. The film does lose some of its momentum when it gets just a little too serious a time or two but otherwise it’s a blast to watch.  My Rating: Full Price    Undrafted Info

Forgotten Film:  Divorce – Italian Style (1962) Marcello Mastroianni is scintillating as a Sicilian nobleman who has fallen in love with another woman and because of Italian divorce laws being so strict, he must now plot how to kill his wife. This is a dark comedy that is brilliantly zany in its storytelling. The film moves at a quick pace and is hilarious as Mastroianni’s plan gets quickly out of hand.  This may have been Marcello Mastroianni’s best work.   My Rating: Full Price    Divorce Italian Style Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Ghostbusters: Render Wrangler

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Gleason (2016)  Documentary on former professional football player Steve Gleason, who at age 34, was diagnosed with ALS. This film was one of the most talked about films at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, and I look forward to seeing this movie about a very courageous man and his family.   Gleason Website

Until Next Time!

The Secret Life of Pets

Family Faire:  The Secret Life of Pets  (2016) PG   Max (Louis C.K.), a Terrier, is living the good life. He has an owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper), who spoils him.  He has great friends like Gidget (Jenny Slate) whom he talks to on a daily basis. That all changes when Katie brings home another dog named Duke (Eric Stonestreet).  Now Max is going to have to show Duke that he is running the show in this apartment. While not in line with recent animated films like Zootopia (2016) or Inside Out (2015), this is still a fun and enjoyable film. The plot gets a little bogged down in too many storylines, but there are plenty of jokes to keep the film from slowing down too much. The film has a fantastic cast with Jenny Slate as the over anxious Gidget and Eric Stonestreet as the bumbling Duke. Kids and adults will have a good time with this film. The film was shot in 3-D, and, it looks it, as many of the sight gags utilize the technology to its fullest. There is a hysterical short film starring the Minions before the movie, proving once again that the Minions should stay as a supporting role in films and not a full-length headliner.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Secret Life of Pets Website

My View:  Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates  (2016) R  Michael (Adam DeVine) and David (Zac Efron) have a history of ruining their family events. They are told by their parents that they must attend their sister’s upcoming wedding with respectable dates. They meet Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza) and Alice (Anna Kendrick), and they seem like the perfect date material. Little do they know that Tatiana and Alice are a parent’s worst nightmare. I found this film mildly amusing, which is sad with a cast like this movie has. The best jokes/stunts were in the trailer, so what was hilarious, was just fun the second time around. The plot is incredibly predictable, though I did like the song and dance numbers at the end of the film. I just wish the producer and the director of the film had added a third scriptwriter to punch up the script so that the laughs were sustained throughout the movie.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Website  

Indiefest:  Zero Days  (2016) PG-13  The documentary explores the scary world of malware software that is threatening to shut down the inter-structure of the world.  When you watch this film, you will be at times frustrated, angry and downright scared. Filmmaker Alex Gibney presents the information about “Stuxnet” in tidbits, bringing the mystery to a full and complete tension-filled reveal that just might have your jaw on the floor. He crafts this film as if we are on a spy mission with him, delving into topics we could get in trouble investigating. A few times during the movie I worried about Gibney, wondering if he was pushing this subject too far. Would he end up like some of the people in the film, mysteriously dying in car bombs or disappearing into the mist, like a John Le Carre novel? While not one of Alex Gibney’s best, “Zero Days” is an important film that will be the subject of much discussion by the media and its audience. Just be warned, after seeing this movie, you may invest in new antivirus software because you are going to get a little paranoid at the end.    My Rating: Full Price   Zero Days Website

Forgotten Film:  Night Moves  (1975) R  Harry (Gene Hackman) is a private detective who is hired by a former actress to find and return her daughter.  He travels to Florida and begins to unravel a plot that involves a murder and a connection back to Hollywood. Hackman is brilliant this modern day film noir. This is a stylish film that has plenty of twists and turns, making you guessing until the very end. Look for an incredibly young Melanie Griffith in the movie.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Night Moves Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: Special Makeup Effects Artist: Animatronic Pigs

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Bleed for This (2016)  World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller) is in an automobile crash and is told he might never walk again. Vinny is determined not only to walk again but to fight again.  I am eager to see Miles Teller, who I think is one of the best young actors out there, perform this role.   Bleed For This Info

Until Next Time!

The Legend of Tarzan

My View:  The Legend of Tarzan  (2016)  PG-13  Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) and Jane (Margot Robbie) travel back to Africa from their home in England. There Tarzan finds that the Dutch government is about to enslave the people of the Congo, and he sets out to stop them.  Let me tell you right off the bat, I am a huge Edgar Rice Burroughs fan (he created Tarzan and wrote over 80 Sci-Fi / Fantasy books), and I was one of the few critics who loved the 2012 film, John Carter (based on another creation of EBR). While this film does leave a few things out, this is closest that anyone has come to capturing the book, with the exception of the 1999 Disney film Tarzan. Skarsgard makes a remarkable Tarzan and perfectly captures his spirit of daring and adventure. Robbie is an adequate Jane, but she isn’t asked to do much more than be the love interest and the damsel in distress. I loved the action sequences, especially those involving the great apes, as finally technology is at a point where techno apes seem real. I didn’t like all the flashbacks, which tell the story of how Tarzan was left in the jungle and how he met Jane, as they have a tendency to slow the film down, and some are unnecessary.  Overall, I enjoyed this movie and hope there will be more.  My Rating: Full Price   The Legend of Tarzan Website

My View:  The Purge: Election Year  (2016)  R  U.S. Senator Charlene Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) has fought to stop the annual purge, the one day anyone can kill anyone else without fear of arrest. On the night of the purge, she and her security agent (Frank Grillo) are forced out on the streets and must try to survive the night.  I did not like the first film in the series The Purge (2013), but I really enjoyed the second film of the series, The Purge: Anarchy (2014), which was a quick moving “video game” style of film. Unfortunately, the script for this movie is horrible, with predictable outcomes, bad dialogue and some crappy acting thrown in to help make this film boring and almost unwatchable. Let’s hope the studio “purges” this film out of its rotation.   My Rating: Cable   The Purge: Election Year Website

Family Faire:  The BFG  (2016)  PG  An orphan girl (Ruby Barnhill) befriends an elderly giant (Mark Rylance) and accompanies him on a mission toward stopping a group of man-eating giants.  This is a beautiful looking film with special effects but a storyline that is rough and uneven and moves at a very slow pace. The story never quite hits the emotional tone that it needs. Mark Rylance does give a warm and impressive performance as the lovable giant who befriends a human girl. I think older kids will enjoy the film, especially if they have read the book, but younger kids might get bored by the movie’s overall length of almost two hours.  And parents are warned, your kids are going to love a scene that is full of farting. My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The BFG Website

Indiefest:  Swiss Army Man (2016)  R  Hank (Paul Dano) is shipwrecked on a deserted island and is contemplating suicide. He finds a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) which he then befriends and uses to survive in a unique way. Right off the bat, I will warn you that this film isn't for everybody. It takes a bit of a strong stomach for a few of the scenes and at my Atlanta screening, two couples left at different times, deciding that this film wasn't for them. If you like weird, offbeat films that have a strange sense of humor, then this just might be your type of movie. Dano and Radcliffe do a remarkable job on the screen as the unlikely duo, playing off their great comedic timing and strong chemistry together. “Swiss Army Man” is a different type of film, mixing broad comedy aspects with some very sweet, tender moments and combines a unique script with two strong performances.   My Rating: Full Price   Swiss Army Man Website

Indiefest:  Wiener-Dog  (2016)  R  A dachshund passes from one owner to another as their lives are impacted in different ways by the dog. The film is written and directed by Todd Solondz, who gave us films like Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) and Happiness (1998). If you like those movies, you will probably like this one, but if you didn’t like those films, you will probably hate this one. As with most of his films, the characters in this film are all unhappy with their lives and looking for something more fulfilling. The film is made up of four stories, all centering around the ownership of a dachshund. The film has a strong cast with outstanding performances by Greta Gerwig and Ellen Burstyn. I enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd sections of the film but hated the 1st and the 4th sections. I especially hated the ending of the movie, feeling that Solondz created this ending (which I saw coming) just to make an impact, not caring if it helped or hurt the storyline. Most of the characters in this film are highly unlikable people, and when the film ended,  I was happy I didn’t have to spend any more time with them.    My Rating: Cable   Weiner-Dog Website

Indiefest:  Tickled  (2016)  R  Filmmaker David Farrier delves into the mysterious world of competitive endurance tickling.  This film starts out very light and funny but, in an instant, it becomes dark and full of intrigue. I won’t go into details; I’ll just tell you the story gets more intriguing as the film delves into the tickling world (it’s weirder than you can imagine). It’s full of twists and turns that’s better than most Hollywood dramas. Farrier tells the tale with a deft touch and builds the tension until the surprising ending. This is one of the better documentaries of the year and well worth the price of admission.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Tickled Website

Indiefest:  Our Kind of Traitor  (2016)  R  A British couple (Ewan McGregor, Naomie Harris) gets involved with a Russian money launderer (Stellan Skarsgard) who soon involves them in a high-stakes journey through Paris, the Swiss Alps, and London.  This is a good old-fashioned spy thriller that fans of novelist John LeCarre will enjoy. While the film does have a couple of action sequences, the film is more about the intrigue that governments get into to spy on each other and the chess games that they play with people’s  lives. I enjoyed McGregor in the role of the professor who is in over his head, but the real treat of the film is Skarsgard, who chews up the scenery with relish as the Russian money mover. He is a blast to watch as he bulls his way to get people to do what he wants. There are plenty of twists and turns in the film to keep you guessing until the end.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Our Kind of Traitor Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  Handle With Care (1977)  PG   The film, when it was the first release, was called Citizens Band. A small town has been taken over by the CB craze of the mid-seventies. A local CB coordinator (Paul LeMat) is struggling to regulate the town’s overuse of their CB’s.  This is strange, funny film that is creative with its use of quick cuts from scene to scene.  The film is filled with interesting, oddballs that make the town they live in seem like it’s inhabited by the residents of a mental institution.  LeMat and Candy Clark are hilarious as an on again/off again couple.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Handle with Care Info

Weird Credits: From The Legend of Tarzan:  Thatcher

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Jason Bourne (2016)   R  Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) has gotten his memory back, and people are going to pay.  I like Matt Damon as Bourne and enjoy this film series.   Jason Bourne Website

Until Next Time!