Shadow Force

My View:  Shadow Force  (2025)  R  In Shadow Force, Kyrah (Kerry Washington) and Issac (Omar Sy) were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force until they broke the rules by falling in love and going underground. Years later, they are living a normal life in suburbia with a son. However, their cover has been blown, and now they must take on the group they once worked for to protect their family. I was excited to see this film at the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival because it starred the two-time Emmy-nominated actress for the amazing series Scandal and Omar Sy, who was brilliant in one of my favorite foreign films of the past 15 years, The Intouchables. Unfortunately, I came away incredibly disappointed, thinking this was the worst film that I saw at the film fest. I should have known that I would be let down because the film is directed and co-written by Joe Carnahan, who has given us Copshop, The A-Team, and Smokin’ Aces. And yes, I know he also gave us The Grey, which proves you get lucky every once in a while, but come on, that was all Liam Neeson, a lot of snow and a bunch of wolves. There wasn’t a bunch of snow or wolves to save this dreck of film, with a plot that had to be written in crayon and action sequences that were so badly shot I couldn’t tell what was happening. To tell you how bad it is the film, almost from the start, tells us how ruthless and bad the Shadow Force is that has set out to kill our heroes, but I have no clue how one of these legendary hitmen is killed in a final fight that feels rushed and such a letdown. Throughout the film, they make Kyrah this badass everyone is afraid of, but twice in the film, she is bested and held hostage, waiting to be saved by her husband. And when they let Kerry do action sequences where she has to fight in hand-to-hand combat, most of it is done in darkness, so we can’t tell it’s her. I needed a play-by-play announcement to tell me what was happening in one scene. The film tests your limits on how much we can believe, including when Kyrah unveils a supercar with bulletproof glass, reinforced walls, a pop-up gun turret, and, get this, a hidden compartment with a supped-up car seat that perfectly hits their son. Mark Strong, playing the leader of the Shadow Force, chews up scenery like it’s his last meal and gives the worst performance of his career. The script barely keeps itself together long enough for the action to happen, and if you can’t figure out who is on whose side, you haven’t watched enough bad TV shows. By the end of Shadow Force, I wanted the noise-canceling headphones that Kyrah and Issac keep giving their son to wear so he doesn’t know what is going on as the action goes on around him.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Shadow Force Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Juliet & Romeo  (2025)   PG-13  Juliet & Romeo is a musical retelling of the most famous love story of all time, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. We all know the story, having studied the play in high school and seen the many adaptations, including the Baz Luhrmann 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, that created a modern hip world of Shakespeare with the perfect casting of Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. This is a retelling of the famous story, changing some significant aspects (I give away what), and while set in the 1300s, the cast sings a slew of modern songs to tell the story. The film features two relatively unknown actors in Danish actress/singer Clara Rugaard (Love Gets a Room (2021), Black Mirror) and Australian actor Jamie Ward (The Durrells), as the star-crossed lovers. The film uses songs to tell the story, with some songs only lasting a minute, all sung in a modern pop style. I loved the music of this film, and there are a couple of show stoppers, one early on when Juliet and Romeo see each other at a street party. There is also a wonderful song in the middle of the film where Juliet and Romeo meet secretly and go from room to room in a castle to evade others. The film is well done, and the musical sequences are bright, lovely to watch, and enjoyable. The film is filled with young, fairly unknown actors, but it does have Derek Jacobi as The Friar who aids our lovers, Rupert Everett as Lord Capulet, and Rebel Wilson as Lady Capulet. Dan Fogler plays the needed comic relief as The Apothecary. While this film is not aimed at a Shakespeare fan, it is aimed at the younger YouTube crowd that should have a great time with our two lovers. And don’t worry, that Shakespearian dialogue you had trouble with in 10th grade English class, it’s not used in this film.  My Rating: Full Price  Juliet & Romeo Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Clown in a Cornfield  (2025)  R  In Clown in a Cornfield, Quinn (Katie Douglas) and her father have moved to the small town of Kettle Springs, the once home of Baypen Corn Syrup Factory. It’s a town where the high school kids are counting down the days when they can leave, spending their time making prank videos and causing trouble. Their hi-jinks have awakened Frendo, the old clown mascot of the Syrup factory, and he is out to see that the kids are taught a lesson. A lesson that will end up in a grisly death or two. Filmmaker Eli Craig gave us one of my favorite horror/comedy films, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010). I was excited when I saw he was doing a take on the 80s/90s slasher films, with, of all things, a killer clown. I was expecting a fun time with a lot of humor and to play with a genre that needs to be tweaked. What I got was a film that has no idea what it is, other than it’s not fun. The storyline of teens rebelling and then getting killed because of it is a cliche as old as slasher films have been around. The problem is that the rebelling is rather weak, and the reason for the killing is even weaker. The scares are few and far between, the kills aren’t very creative, and the showdown between good and evil is one of the most unimaginative horror film endings I have seen. So much so that an hour after I have just seen the film, I couldn’t tell you exactly who dies and how. The best bit of the film is wasted in the trailer (it has to do with a rotary phone), and that’s the way I felt about the whole film. Clown in a Cornfield is one of those films where it seems all the creativity went into making the trailer and not the film itself.  My Rating: Cable  Clown in a Cornfield Website  The film is now in theaters. 

My View:  Nonnas  (2025)  PG  Nonnas is about Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn), who, after losing his mother, decides to open up a restaurant to honor her. His idea is to hire four Italian grandmothers, aka ‘Nonnas,’ as the chefs, using their authentic recipes. Have you ever heard of the phrase ‘too many chefs in the kitchen’? This might be the perfect example. Nonnas is a textbook ‘feel good’ film, and that’s okay. We all need a home-cooked meal from time to time to raise our spirits and feel positive about the world. Based on a true story (we get to see the authentic restaurant and the Nonnas in action during the closing credits), the film tells the story of Joe, who has just lost his mother after a battle with cancer and is looking for some way to spend the money he has inherited from her. He decides to open a restaurant to honor his mother, known for her incredible home-cooked Italian meals, including her magical ‘gravy’ (what we lay folk would call sauce). He recruits four ‘Nonnas’ to make the meals in the restaurant, having them use their own recipes. I’m not a huge Vince Vaughn fan, but he does an admirable job as the earnest Joe, who is a great guy who just wants to bring the feelings of happiness and family that he used to get at his mother’s home in those big get-togethers around mounds of pasta. The film shines because of the four Nonnas, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, and Brenda Vaccaro, who have 9 Oscar nominations between them. The four actresses are fun to watch, each with their own style, which makes this film work. It’s a joy to watch them have fun up on screen, even while the plot is rather simple. Joe Manganiello as Joe’s best friend, Bruno, Drea de Matteo as Bruno’s wife, and Linda Cardellini as Joe’s love interest round out the cast. Nonnas is warm and heartwarming and is guaranteed to make you want to have lasagna or any other pasta dish for dinner tonight. Sadly, you will have to travel to Staten Island to have the real thing.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Nonnas Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View:  Friendship  (2024)  R  Friendship is about Craig (Tim Robinson), an ordinary man living in the suburbs with his wife, Tami (Kate Mara), and son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer). Craig’s world is changed when Austin (Paul Rudd), a local TV weatherman, moves into the neighborhood and invites Craig over to hand out with him and his pals. Things change when, after a few get-togethers, Austin tells Craig they ‘should go their separate ways.’ Craig then obsesses about how to get back in Austin’s good graces, and it won’t be pretty. Tim Robinson is an actor/writer who was a staff writer for Saturday Night Live before he created/wrote and acted in two comedy TV shows, Detroiters and the three-time Emmy award-winning I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, which is described by IMDB as a sketch show where Tim and his guests spend each segment driving someone to the point of desperately wanting to leave. I saw this film with a very excited crowd at the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival. I will admit that while the rest of the audience was on the floor with laughter, I did not enjoy this film. I came away with the feeling that if this had been a sketch on his show, I would have found it funnier in that it would have been a short burst. I had a hard time following a character that I did not like, thought was a horrible person, and an idiot to boot. I had a hard time justifying the character as the man was in a long-term marriage and had a job of great responsibility, but he continually does stuff that comes out of nowhere that ruins everything, including his marriage, his job, and any relationship he has. There is a running gag with Paul Rudd that is funny the first time it’s revealed, but used repeatedly to keep the plot moving. From the reaction of the audience that I saw it with, if you are a fan of his shows, you will love Friendship. If not, then you might be like me when I left the theater, wondering why everyone thought it was a laugh fest. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Friendship Website Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Fight or Flight  (2024)  R  A disgraced former federal agent, Lucas (Josh Hartnett), has been living on the run for the past two years. His old boss (Katee Sackhoff) contacts him, who tells him that if he takes the job of finding a wanted terrorist and brings them back alive, Lucas can clear his name and get his life back. Just a few problems: the terrorist is only known as ‘Ghost,’ and no one knows what they look like, and Lucas has to get on an international flight, find Ghost, and bring them back alive. I had an absolute blast watching this film, with its very funny humor and almost non-stop close-quarter fighting. Hartnett is perfect as the alcoholic former agent who hates his old boss, but hates his life even more. Fight or Flight is a film that combines Bullet Train with lots of Jackie Chan movies, a dash of John Wick, and then throw in a bit of Snakes on a Plane. The action is fast, funny, and full of surprises. Hartnett does a great job in the fight sequences, and Charithra Chandran, as a surly fight attendant, brings some great chemistry to the screen with Hartnett. Expect lots of broken bones, blood, and some very imaginative deaths while Lucas tries to survive on a ten-hour flight with a killer or two on board. And on this flight, you might want to double-check your seat belt and make sure that your tray is upright and handy. You might need it to help you survive to your destination. Plus, any film that has a soundtrack starting right from the start with Lesley Gore, has a fight sequence to Elvis Costello, and ends with the Clash, is a film I want to see.  My Rating: Full Price  Fight or Flight Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Magic Farm  (2025)   In Magic Farm, an American documentary crew is on its way to interview a musician in rural Argentina but ends up in the wrong town. With the locals’ help, they decide to fake a new music trend. They had no idea what they were getting into. Magic Farm is a messy and strange film that starts out with a bizarre point of view from above, watching a person on a motor scooter going down a road. That sums up this film, as it is a little strange, often showing the point of view of dogs for what seems like no reason. The film is about a group of misfit documentary filmmakers, including the host, Edna, played by Chloë Sevigny. Edna is in an unhappy marriage to Dave (Simon Rex), who is the producer of the film, and as soon as they arrive in Argentina, he takes off to go back to New York. Edna and the crew are left in a tiny town, and the story they were going to cover isn’t there. The film is just a slice of life of these crew members as they interact with the townspeople, who are happy to have them in their small town. Magic Farm is satire with a slender plot that meanders through the story, but nothing comes of it other than that we like a few of the crew and the rest we hate. The irony of the film is that the documentary crew, having no story to cover, make up one while all the while, there is a major story right under their noses that they never see, too caught up in their own problems. I came away from this film just like the doc crew, I was given a story that had something right there that the writer/director Amalia Ulman couldn’t see and instead was given a film that was too haphazard to make any sense.  I saw this film at the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival.   My Rating: Cable  Magic Farm Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)  A bored New Jersey housewife, Roberta (Rosanna Arquette), is fascinated by the free-wheeling life of a woman named Susan (Madonna), whose life she follows in the Personal ads in the paper. When she goes to catch a glimpse of Susan meeting a boyfriend, Roberta is swept up in a whirlwind of mistaken identities, mob hits, and stolen artifacts. Directed by Susan Seidelman, this is a funny rom-com that made big box office because of Madonna’s first major film role, who was just starting out as one of the world’s biggest pop stars. This movie made Rosanna Arquette a film star (she mainly had appeared on TV shows and made for TV movies at this point of her career) but it’s Madonna that steals the movie. Besides her song “Into the Groove”, which became a massive hit on MTV with scenes from the movie, Madonna is perfect as Susan, a woman who is crossing the country, leaving men she has slept with and stolen from without a thought. Seidelman picked Madonna over Melanie Griffith, Ellen Barkin, and Jennifer Jason Leigh because she wanted someone to be natural on screen and look like she would wear the costumes that Susan wore on screen. The great fun of this film is watching all the artists and soon-to-be-famous actors who have roles in it. This is the first major film role for both Laurie Metcalf and Steven Wright. Metcalf steals several scenes in her role as Mark Blum’s character’s sister, who is married to Roberta. Other notable cast members include Carol Leifer, punk legend Richard Hell, Rockets Redglare, Ann Magnuson, John Lurie, John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito, and Robert Joy. The film captures the music scene in NYC in the early 80s, allowing us to see New York before its revitalization. Aidan Quinn, as the romantic lead, is fantastic as Dez, a man who gets involved with Roberta, thinking that she is Susan. So go on a wacky journey with Madonna as a woman who has style enough to carry a film without being the lead. My Rating: Full Price  Desperately Seeking Susan Info  I saw the film at the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival with director Susan Seidelman in attendance.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Fight or Flight: Drapery Leadman

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Jane Austen Wrecked My Life  (2024)  R  Agathe (Camille Rutherford) is a Jane Austen fanatic who works at the world-famous Paris bookstore Shakespeare & Co. Agathe is lonely and unlucky in love, always complaining about her lack of love life. When Agathe suddenly receives a Jane Austen writing residency, she meets a fellow writer (Charlie Anson) and now must choose between a writing career or her love life. Having just seen the 20th-anniversary screening of one of my favorite films, Pride & Prejudice (2005), I want to see this film.  Jane Austen Wrecked My Life Website  Opens in select cities on Friday, May 23, 2025.

Until Next Time!