I Know What You Did Last Summer

My View:  I Know What You Did Last Summer  (2025)  R   In I Know What You Did Last Summer, five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident and decide to cover it up, choosing to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. A year later, they are confronted by a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did and is out for revenge. The friends discover this has happened before and ask for survivors of the Southport Massacre of 1997 for help. The original 1997 film had a script by Kevin Williamson (Scream, creator of Dawson’s Creek and The Vampire Diaries) and featured a cast that included Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anne Heche, Johnny Galecki, and Freddie Prinze Jr. While not as creative as Scream, it was still a fun movie with a cast that was talented and that knew what they were doing. I can’t say the same for this movie. This version is a re-tread of the original film but without any creativity. We go to these types of films to be scared and for the inventive kills. The only scares in this drab film are the ‘jump out of the dark’ moments, accompanied by loud music to cue us to the scary moment. The killings are unimaginative and poorly done. And don’t get me started on how the accident occurs and why they hide it, which brings down the film from the start. And if you haven’t figured out who the killer is by the first third of the film, you don’t watch a lot of this type of film. The dialogue was terrible (at my screening, some of the lines were laughed at), and none of the cast members had the charisma to carry the film. Fans of the series might enjoy this film, but the rest of us will likely find it a snore. And yes, there is a bonus scene in the middle of the credits, which sets up another film to come, and that one scene was better than the movie that just followed.   My Rating:  Cable  I Know What You Did Last Summer Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Eddington  (2025)  R  Eddington is set in a small town in New Mexico in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is running for Mayor against incumbent Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). As the election unfolds, the town descends into chaos, with mask mandates, conspiracy theories, and a sense of society unraveling in the background. I am not a big fan of filmmaker Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau is Afraid). I feel that too often he goes too far in trying to make a point, and his films have a tendency to start strong but falter in their third act, which ultimately brings down the rest of the film. Eddington is the story of a small town grappling with COVID-19 and the Eddie George killing, featuring a Mayor who advocates for mask-wearing and a Sheriff who refuses to wear a mask and dislikes, maybe even hates, the Mayor. I enjoyed the first half of this film, with a cast of characters that are funny and weird. It’s a war of wills between the Sheriff and the Mayor, and we want to see who will win. Unfortunately, the film falls apart in the second half, shifting from being an amusing black comedy and satire to something that feels directionless—perhaps like a roadrunner cartoon? The film, which starts so smartly, devours itself with absurdity that goes overboard. After viewing Eddington, you realize it did not provide any answers to the questions that were constantly popping up in your mind. That’s disappointing, especially in this day and age when we could all use a few answers. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Eddington Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight  (2024)  R Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is about 8-year-old Bobo (Lexi Venter), whose family’s Rhodesian farm and their way of life are threatened by the Bush War. This is about a family that is being torn apart at the seams by a country that doesn’t want them and a mother who refuses to leave. Lexi Venter delivers an incredible performance as Bobo, a young girl who rides a motorcycle, smokes cigarettes, and questions everything around her.  It’s a riveting performance by a young actress that carries the whole film on her shoulders. The narrative unfolds through Bobo’s eyes as her beloved country undergoes rapid change, and her way of life hangs in the balance. Embeth Davidtz, who serves as writer and director, provides Venter with a unique voice that highlights the contrast between the mother, an alcoholic refusing to give in, and the father, who recognizes when the battle is lost.   Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight features a groundbreaking performance by a young actress, Lexi Venter, that has to be seen to be believed. Bobo is a character who will win your heart, even as her family's story may break it.  My Rating: Full Price   Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  Sorry, Baby (2025) R  Sorry, Baby takes place over five years following the life of Agnes (Eva Victor), who is trying to put her life back together after a trauma that almost destroyed her. Sorry, Baby is one of those films that you fall in love with almost from the first frame. This film captivates you from the very first frame. Eva Victor has created a remarkable piece for a first-time director, especially one who also stars in it. Sorry, Baby is a film that deals with a horrible situation, but with such a deft touch that you come away feeling good about the character surviving, especially since she mentions dying a lot. It’s a film that tackles a sensitive subject with humor and compassion. Some scenes will make you cry, and others will make you laugh, and that’s to the credit of Eva Victor, who gives us a performance and a character who is witty, resilient, and warm-hearted, whose sense of humor comes out, sometimes at the strangest times. Additionally, Sorry, Baby highlights the importance of friendships in overcoming difficult times. This is a remarkable film that you won’t want to end, as you’ll find yourself wishing to continue Agnes's journey alongside her friends. You know she will keep moving forward, fighting the good fight, and striving to live fully. Sorry, Baby is definitely destined to be among my this year's top five films directed by a first-time filmmaker.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Sorry, Baby Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Boy (2011) Note: This is my review from 2011 and is a film that I talk about all the time, telling everyone to see this film:   Boy, an 11-year-old, who lives in Waihau Bay, New Zealand with his younger brother, Rocky (who thinks he has superpowers), and his grandmother, is obsessed with Michael Jackson. His mother died giving birth to Rocky, and Boy spends a good deal of his day thinking about what his long-lost father is doing.  Is he a spy, a famous rugby player, or maybe a brilliant artist?  Boy’s world is changed when his father suddenly shows up, and he must come to grips with the realization that his father will never live up to the image he created of him over the years.  The director (who also stars as Boy’s father), Taika Waititi, gives us a wonderful world of interesting characters, where Boy’s fantasies about his father come to life, and cartoon drawings illustrate what Rocky thinks is going to happen when he applies his imagined superpowers. It’s no wonder that this film won the Audience Award at the American Film Institute Festival in 2010. My Rating:  Full Price  Boy Info  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of I Know What You Did Last Summer:  Marine assistant

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Naked Gun (2025) I am just going to quote the press release for the film: “Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. follows in his father’s footsteps.”  The movie stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., and the supporting cast comprises Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, and Kevin Durand.  The Naked Gun Website The movie will be in theaters on Friday, August 1, 2025.

Until Next Time!