One Battle After Another

My View:  One Battle After Another  (2025) R  In One Battle After Another, a notorious enemy named Steve Lockjaw (Sean Penn) has resurfaced after 16 years, broken into Bob’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) home, and kidnapped his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). Bob, a civil rights activist, must team up with an anti-government group to locate and rescue his daughter from an alt-right white supremacist group. It's not often that a September movie rises to the top of the Oscar ranks, but Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another manages to do just that. This film combines the laid-back hippiness vibe of The Big Lebowski with the political satire of Dr. Strangelove, while featuring a villain reminiscent of those in '80s and '90s action films—although this character might be the funniest bad guy ever portrayed on screen. One Battle After Another is (I hesitate to tell you this because some of you may want to stay away) the fastest two-hour and forty-minute film you will ever see. The film is a joy to watch and keeps surprising you with both bouts of violence and humor that keep you off-kilter (in a good way), which keeps coming. This is a fast-moving and witty look at America and its political system, but it’s done in such a way that it’s brilliantly executed, and I suspect many won’t realize what hit them until the end. It is going to be fascinating to see if Leo gets an Oscar nod, because it’s such a brilliantly understated performance, one that few actors could do. This is one of those performances that is so expertly crafted that you almost underestimate how good Leo is in the role. Sean Penn is hilarious as the ultra-rigid Colonel, who has a huge flaw (which I won’t reveal) and feels that his place in the history of the world is set in stone. Teyana Taylor as Perfidia is a force of nature as Bob’s partner and the leader of the revolutionary group. Her performance and the essence of her character are brilliantly captured in a scene where she fiercely fires an AK-47 while heavily pregnant. Perfidia is all about the cause, and it consumes her entirely. While she loves Bob, her passion for the revolution takes precedence over everything else. I could go on and on about every performance in this film, but I would be remiss without mentioning how much fun it is to watch Benicio Del Toro as a partner in crime whose character is every bit as cool and laid-back as Leo’s Bob is a bag of nerves. The hero of the story isn’t Bob but his daughter Willa, played with poise and style by Chase Infiniti. Infiniti portrays Willa as a young woman who has had to live with the legacy of a mother who was a radical and a father who has spent most of her years as a paranoid pothead, but has instilled in her a willingness to survive and the guts not to back down. One Battle After Another is a film that puts its foot on the gas from almost the first frame and doesn’t let off until its hilarious and satisfying end. I had a blast watching this film, and it’s not very often that the hype matches the worthiness of a movie. Please see this in a theater with an audience on the largest screen you can find; it will be worth the price of admission. Any film that pays homage to one of my favorite films, Bullitt, is a film that I want to see again as soon as possible. And you will too. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again One Battle After Another Website  Now playing in theaters, including IMAX

My View:  Eleanor the Great  (2025)  PG-13   In Eleanor the Great, Eleanor (June Squibb), after a devastating loss of her best friend Bessie, decides to move from Florida to New York City to live with her daughter and grandson. Feeling more alone than she imagined, Eleanor unexpectedly forms a friendship with a 19-year-old journalism student, Nina (Erin Kellyman). Unfortunately, through a misunderstanding, Nina believes Eleanor is a Holocaust survivor, but it’s Bessie’s story, not Eleanor’s. A lot of attention has been given to the fact that this is Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, and her direction is the weak link in this film, as it’s very bland and unimpressive. Johansson isn’t helped by a script that creates a character who seems to have no sense of shame or conflict. Luckily, Johansson is saved by an outstanding cast that can do the heavy lifting, making the film, despite its flaws, still enjoyable to watch. June Squibb, a long-time character actor with over 100 IMDB listings, has recently emerged as a leading actress, following her Oscar-nominated role as the feisty, swearing wife of Bruce Dern’s character in Nebraska. Squibb easily commands the screen with a laid-back grandmother approach that isn’t afraid to use her charm to get what she wants. Squibb is helped by an outstanding performance by Erin Kellyman, a student who befriends Eleanor to get her to tell her Holocaust story, and in return gets help from Eleanor dealing with the recent loss of her mother and a father (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who has checked out of parenting. Kellyman gives us just the right person for Eleanor to impart wisdom and support to. Some of the heavy emotional parts of the film are handled by Rita Zohar, who is the real heroine of the film that tells her story of the Holocaust. There are some powerful scenes between Squibb and Zohar that provide the background for why Eleanor wants to tell Bessie’s story. Unfortunately, those scenes are undercut by a script that gives Eleanor no moral compass or foresight, leaving her unaware that what she is doing is wrong. So watch Eleanor the Great for the performances, which more than outshine the plot and its direction.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Eleanor the Great Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

Indiefest:  The Summer Book  (2024)   The Summer Book tells the story of nine-year-old Sophia (Emily Matthews), who is spending the summer at her family’s seasonal home on a remote island in the Gulf of Finland. It’s the first summer without Sophia’s mother, and it will take the beauty of this special place and the nurturing support of Sophia’s grandmother (Glenn Close) to mend the grief that Sophia and her father (Anders Danielsen Lie) are experiencing. The Summer Book is a film that may be too slow and character-driven for some moviegoers to enjoy. However, if you love beautiful cinematography and leads that know how to fill a space without saying a word, then this film is for you. Glenn Close delivers another masterful performance as the grandmother who helps a lost child find her way back. The Summer Book a film about dealing with grief, finding a way to cope, and navigating the complexities of growing up and growing old. The Summer Book is about a time in a life that will be remembered not for what happened but for how much changed within. My Rating: Full Price  The Summer Book Website Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest: All of You  (2024) R  All of You is about Simon (Brett Goldstein) and Laura (Imogen Poots), who are best friends and have always joked about dating each other, but have never pursued a romantic relationship. Simon secretly believes that Laura is his one true love, but things change when Laura takes a test that identifies another man as “her one true love.” Will the two ever end up together after all the years of friendship? There is tremendous chemistry between Goldstein and Poots, and we feel the connection, love, and heat between the two characters every time they are on the screen. The repartee between the two makes the film enjoyable to watch, particularly in the first 30 minutes. However, no matter how much chemistry two stars give to each other, they can’t overcome a script that takes too long for there to be conflict, and then the consequences and the problems they cause seem too easily swept away. It’s a frustrating film that aspires to be a romance, but without ever getting to know the two people, other than the fact that they love each other’s company too much. Despite the strong start to the film, I became frustrated and sometimes bored by a script that prefers to give us slices of life instead of the whole pie.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee All of You Info  In select theaters and on Apple TV+.   

Indiefest:  Adulthood  (2025) R  Adulthood is about adult siblings Megan (Kaya Scodelario) and Noah (Josh Gad) who, when their mother is sick in the hospital, discover a dead body in the basement of their family home. That discovery will send the two down a rabbit hole of crime and murder that they may never recover from. Not harsh enough to be a black comedy and not funny enough to be a farce, Adulthood doesn’t know what it is, and that is the problem. The idea is that when the two siblings try to cover up that their mother may have killed a neighbor, that cover-up gets out of control, and bodies start piling up. However, the film never finds its footing, and what could have been funny is never delivered. Instead, we get two actors who have no chemistry together, and the story starts to bog down almost from the start. Scenes that are meant to shock us aren’t staged very well and lack the punch they need to hit the mark. The film has a lot of wasted space that slows down the story. I kept saying as it was playing, ‘Pick up the pace.’ Sadly, it never did.  My Rating: Cable Adulthood Website  Now playing in select theaters and available on Digital. 

Indiefest:  Dead of Winter  (2025)  R  Dead of Winter is set in northern Minnesota, where Barb (Emma Thompson) is fulfilling a last wish of spreading the ashes of her late husband on an isolated lake in the middle of nowhere. While there, she witnesses the kidnapping of a teenage girl (Laurel Marsden) and realizes, with no phone service and too far to get help, she is the girl’s only hope. I have always loved Emma Thompson, and once again, she delivers a remarkable performance as a character that is right out of a particular Coen Brothers movie, also set in Minnesota. Channeling a bit of Bruce Willis or Liam Neeson, Thompson portrays a grieving widow who has to outsmart and outfight a husband-and-wife team (Marc Menchaca and Judy Greer) who, for some nefarious reason, have kidnapped a young woman. I had a great time watching Thompson clop around in the snow in oversized winter overalls, muttering things like ‘oomph’ and ‘geez’ while doing some clever tricks that would make MacGyver proud. Although the film is set in northern Minnesota, it but actually filmed in Finland. Take a sweater to the theater, because I was cold just watching the characters as they dealt with the ice and snow. Dead of Winter is an entertaining thriller with an unconventional hero that you can root for from the start, and hate the bad guys as soon as they appear on the screen. Afterall, who doesn’t want to see Judy Greer and Emma Thompson fight in the snow, wrestling over a rifle? Just don’t mess with Barb, don’t cha know.  My Rating: Full Price  Dead of Winter Website  Now playing in theaters 

Forgotten Film:   The Hot Rock (1972) PG Robert Redford plays Dortmunder, a convicted thief who, upon his release from prison, is convinced by his brother-in-law (George Segal) to go on one last big score and steal a precious diamond from a museum. They hire a crew to do the job and plan an elaborate scheme to make the diamond heist. However, things don’t go as planned and become very complicated very quickly. The Hot Rock is a hilarious film with lots of twists and turns that have hilarious results, and Redford is perfect as the thief who, as things get more complicated, masterminds a break into not one, but two prisons.  My Rating: Full Price (Reprinted from March 2012 to honor the late Robert Redford). The Hot Rock Info Available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of One Battle After Another:  Dishwasher

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Anemone  (2025) R   Anemone centers on a man (Sean Bean) who ventures into the isolated woodlands of Northern England to find his estranged brother (Daniel Day-Lewis). They haven’t seen each other in 20 years, and the brother has been living alone in the forest. As they reconnect, they will confront the personal and political traumas that have long been buried between them. This is Daniel Day-Lewis’s return to acting after announcing his retirement in 2017. Anemone Website  In limited release on Friday, October 3, 2025, and wide release on Friday, October 10, 2025.

Until Next Time!

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

My View:  A Big Bold Beautiful Journey  (2025)  R    In A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, David (Colin Farrell) is on a road trip to a wedding when he meets Sarah (Margot Robbie). He convinces her to go on an adventure guided by his GPS. Along the way, the two will discover a magical doorway that allows them revisit the past and explore places and times they thought they knew. I was disappointed in this film, especially after having high hopes for it based on the trailer and the strong cast. While I appreciated watching Farrell and Robbie as they revisited significant points in their lives—both are very attractive and talented actors—I found the overall experience lacking. As a romantic film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey failed to evoke the warmth and enjoyment that one expects from a story that is supposed to be about finding that one person who you can be comfortable with, willing to spend your life with them. The film loses its way early on and never recovers, with banter between the two characters feeling almost painful to watch. I quickly became bored with their journey, as they repeatedly insisted that they weren’t meant to be together, even though it was clear to me that they would end up as a couple Their big realization moments didn’t hit the mark, and the twists and turns that happened felt unreal and lacked the big emotional moments that we needed to believe that the two were meant for each other. It’s too bad because somewhere in the bones of the script, there is a film that would have worked. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t.  My Rating: Cable  A Big Bold Beautiful Journey Website    Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Him  (2025)  R  Him is about a young up-and-coming football star, Cameron (Tyriqu Withers), who has been invited by his idol, legendary quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), to train at Isaiah’s isolated compound. It’s a blood-chilling journey that will push Cameron to his limits and beyond to pursue excellence at any cost. IMDB classifies Him as a horror film, and if that is the case, then this movie is, using some football terms, a fumble, an incomplete pass and way offsides. Heck, it might even deserve holding and a personal foul. I was bored by the 20-minute mark and kept looking at my watch to see when this film would end. There are no genuine scares to be found, and Cameron is an idiot. He’s trying to become a number one draft pick, yet allows some shady trainer that he doesn’t know to keep injecting him with god knows what. It never occurs to Cameron that those injections could not only jeopardize his draft status, but he might be kicked out of the league. I kept thinking as I watched Him, that the writers didn’t know much about football and even less about horror films. I felt Marlon Wayans went way over the top with Isaiah’s antics (and there are a lot), and the violence was often done to try to shock us, with little effect. The ending, which took too long to develop, was idiotic and unsatisfying. So, I’m throwing a flag on the play and calling an audible for you to see anything else. My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again Him Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Happyend  (2024)    Happyend takes place in Tokyo in the near future, where the threat of a catastrophic quake hangs over the heads of its residents. High school students Yuta (Hayato Kurihara) and Kou (Yukito Hidaka) pull a prank on their principal. The prank leads to far-reaching consequences, and the two best friends react to these outcomes in vastly different ways. Happyend is a story of friendship set in a world where things could go wrong very quickly and often do. The two friends’ world becomes increasingly under the control of the school and the government, and we see how they react to the rules and the constant surveillance of their lives. The tension between the two friends grows larger as they attempt to deal with the situation. One takes things seriously, and the other deals with the surveillance and lack of freedom with humor. Despite addressing serious subjects, Happyend incorporates plenty of humor, and it’s fun to follow the two guys as they try to handle what the world is throwing at them.  My Rating: Full Price  Happyend Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  The History of Sound  (2025)  R   The History of Sound is about two young men, Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O’Connor), who bond over the love of music right before WWI. They will meet again and explore their love of music and each other before going back out into the world. I enjoyed the first third of this film, as we get to know the two men who fall in love and are then separated by the war. Lionel goes back to the family farm, and David has been drafted. When David returns from the war, they meet up again and have a wonderful time going around the countryside recording folk music. When their time recording is over, the two men go their separate ways, something that Lionel will always regret. I struggled with the latter part of the film, primarily due to Lionel’s treatment of his later romantic partners. He tends to abandon them, much like he did with his own family. For instance, he leaves his mother to pursue his musical journey with David after his father’s death, which I found difficult to accept. The story also suffers as we watch Lionel go from job to job, as well as from lover to lover, without caring about who he hurts. I would have loved the film to be tighter in the second half; even cutting the last five minutes of the film would have made the ending much more touching and compelling. Mescal and O’Connor both do an outstanding job of making us believe and care about their relationship. Adding to the enjoyment of the film is the wonderful folk music that keeps filling the soundtrack and lets us understand why those songs were created and sung. Overall, I felt that this film would have worked better if the script had just stuck with the men during their college and music-finding years, letting the film and the experience end as the two say goodbye. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The History of Sound Website    Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Ondine  (2009) PG-13  Syracuse (Colin Farrell) is an Irish fisherman who quit drinking for the sake of his sick daughter. Meanwhile, his ex-wife is still drinking. Day after day, he comes back from fishing with empty nets. Then one day, his net is full, but it’s filled with a beautiful woman, Ondine (Alicja Bachleda). Syracuse’s daughter, Annie (Alison Bary), is convinced that Ondine is a selkie, a magical creature that can shapeshift between seal and human. Even Syracuse begins to realize that maybe his daughter is right and finds that he is falling for Ondine. While not a traditional fairy tale, this is an enchanting movie that keeps you guessing and wondering if there will be a happy ending. Colin Farrell delivers a brilliant performance, and the chemistry between Farrell and Alicja Bachleda creates sparks on the screen.   My Rating: Full Price  Ondine Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon and some streaming services. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of A Big Bold Beautiful Journey:  Spray Tan Artist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: One Battle After Another  (2025) R  In One Battle After Another, a notorious enemy named Steve Lockjaw (Sean Penn) has resurfaced after 16 years, broken into Bob’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) home, and kidnapped his daughter (Chase Infiniti). Bob, a civil rights activist, must team up with an anti-government group to locate and rescue his daughter from an alt-right white supremacist group. The film is by Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread, Licorice Pizza) and is creating a lot of Oscar buzz.  One Battle After Another Website  The film opens in theaters on Friday, September 26, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

The Long Walk

My View:  The Long Walk  (2025) R   The Long Walk is set in the near future, as a group of teenage boys compete in the annual contest known as “The Long Walk.” The winner is awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The game is simple; maintain a pace of three miles per hour or you’re out - permanently.This film is incredibly difficult to watch. Bleak and heartbreaking, The Long Walk tells a story of desperation and how friendships can develop even when the world is falling apart, providing hope when it seems there is none. The two main characters on the walk are Raymond, #47, portrayed by Cooper Hoffman, and Peter, #23, portrayed by David Jonsson, who, to keep each other going, strike up a friendship and slowly learn about each other’s lives. Through their conversations, we learn why each boy is doing the walk and what they hope to gain from winning. The Long Walk, written by Stephen King during the height of the Vietnam War, is a bleak film that, despite being set in the late 1960s, still holds significant meaning and relevance to the issues facing our society today. As the film progresses, the stakes become higher, as boys are killed for not being able to keep up with the pace.This is a horror film in the sense of impending doom that can strike at any moment and often does, sometimes in shocking ways. Hoffman, showcasing his growth as a powerful and nuanced actor much like his late father, is the center of the film. His character, Raymond, tries to play peacemaker at the start and is willing to risk his own life to help others keep going. Raymond has a winning way about him that makes others want to be around him. However, as the grim task becomes harder as boys Raymond has gotten to know have fallen, he seems to take each death harder and harder. David Jonsson portrays Peter as a boy who has had a horrible life and is willing to go the distance to have a chance at a better one. Peter serves as the perfect companion for Raymond, always being the stronger one who keeps his and Raymond’s focus on the task ahead and not on what has happened in the past. I will warn you that this is a brutal watch and does not pull any punches in showing the violence. Watching this film can be challenging, especially in the last 30 minutes when you have become attached and vested in the characters, all of which, except one, are going to die. The Long Walk explores the themes of despair, loss of faith, and brutality, but it’s also tells a story about friendship, love, and family, even if it is fleeting. The Long Walk is one of the best films of the year, bolstered by performances from two brilliant actors who make us fall in love with their characters, even though we know that this love will be short-lived.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  The Long Walk Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale  (2025  PG  In Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the household is on the brink of social disgrace with Mary (Michelle Dockery) in the middle of a very public divorce and the family facing financial ruin. The Crawleys will have to embrace change if Downton Abbey is to survive. While I did not watch the TV series, I have enjoyed my time with the Crawley family and their servants in the three films, including this one. I thought the first film, Downton Abbey (2019), did a brilliant job of letting fans of the series continue with the family, while letting us ‘newbies’ understand the dynamics of the family and who everyone was. I felt the 2nd film was a little too simple in its plot, but I am happy to say that this third and final (sniff) film in the series is a wonderful goodbye to the family (which I include with the servants) that we have all come to love. The film is filled with various plot-lines, including a scandal, the potential downfall of the family’s fortune, and the retirements of longtime servants. Throughout the story, we also experience a royal ball, a day at the races, a county fair, and a visit from a legendary writer, all of which keep us entertained.  What I loved is that we get to see the growth of the characters and how they have evolved over the years, though some continue to make a mistake or two along the way. For fans of the series and the movies, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is an enjoyable sendoff and lets us take our time saying goodbye to characters that we have grown to love.  My Rating: Full Price  Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Spinal Tap II: The End Continues  (2025) R  In Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, the band reunites after 15 years for one final concert, and documentary filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) is there to document it all. Will the band survive the rehearsal, let alone the concert? Rob Reiner brought us the hilarious mockumentary This is Spinal Tap back in 1984. While not a hit at upon its initial release, when the home video version hit the market, it found an audience, and a classic was born. The film introduced a pseudo-documentary style that was later used to great success in TV shows like The Office and Modern Family. Now, 40 years after that film, Reiner is back, giving us a glimpse into what the band members are up to, and it’s not much. Their endeavors include running a combination cheese and guitar shop, managing a glue museum, and creating hold music. I had fun watching the guys being idiots once again. There are some fantastic running gags and lots of cameos that allow us to revisit a few friends from the past. Of the new cameos, the extensive scenes with Paul McCartney and Elton John are particuarly enjoyable as both preform with the band. Still, the film overextends its welcome, even with the slim run time of eighty-three minutes. The subplot of a feud between Nigel (Christopher Guest) and David (Michael McKean) goes on way too long without a decent payoff. I also grew tired of Simon (Chris Addison), a concert promoter who can’t process music and seems to hate everything that the Tap boys stand for. That said, I did laugh quite a bit, and it was enjoyable seeing the band in all its glory during the reunion concert (the venue became available because a Stormy Daniels event fell through).  I believe that fans of the first film will have a good time with this sequel, but I wonder if those who haven't seen the original will find it as funny. It's unfortunate because the band could use the work, but perhaps a cruise ship gig will come their way. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Spinal Tap II Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle  (2025)  R Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle follows the Demon Slayer Corps as they launch an assault on Muzan’s Infinity Castle, the headquarters of the demon king. The slayers face off against the Upper Rank Demons and Muzan himself, striving to finally bring an end to the centuries-long battle. Unless you follow the TV series, have seen the other films (6, I think), or have read the manga series, you will be lost like I was (having never seen any of it). The film starts as one of our heroes is trying to run through the castle to find the head demon, someone named Muzan. It’s called a castle, but it seems like some sort of always-changing multi-dimensional maze to me. There are a bunch of other Demon Slayer Corps members also trying to find and kill Muzan, but they keep finding other demons to slay. Apparently, the demons are on some sort of ranking system, and some are harder to kill than others. There are a lot of Demon Slayers, and I had a hard time keeping up with who was who and who they were battling. All I know is that this film was 2 hours and forty-five minutes of Demon Slayers running (lots and lots of running), demons talking a lot, and some battles where no one seemed to win. To say I was confused and lost would be an understatement, though the crowd I saw it with was enthusiastic about the battle sequences and sad when a Demon Slayer died or passed out. I did enjoy the origin arc of a demon named Akaza, which reminded me a lot of some of the ‘50s/’60s samurai movies I have seen. The film ended on a cliffhanger, with a couple of our heroes passed out because of a battle, and Muzan bragging that he would never be defeated.The film feels like it tried to cram too much into the plot, with too many characters to keep up with and a main villain who talks a lot. Demon Slayer: Infinite Castle attempts to play on our emotions, but without the knowledge of the series backstory, those scenes felt hollow to an uninitiated filmgoer like me. Fans of the series will have fun with the battles, but for someone new to this series, it seemed like a lot of story with little outcome. Being thrown directly into the action without understanding the characters or the reasons for their conflict was quite challenging for me as an outsider. There will be two more of these films to complete the battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan. I have a headache just thinking about it.  My Rating: Cable  Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Wrong Paris  (2025)  The Wrong Paris tells the story of Dawn (Miranda Cosgrove), who has been accepted to a Parisian cooking school but doesn’t have the money to fly there. To cover her expenses, Dawn enters a dating contest to win the heart of a bachelor (Pierson Fode), a contest that takes place in Paris. Unfortunately, the contest is in Paris, Texas. I like Miranda Cosgrove, primarily due to her starring in iCarly, but this lackluster rom-com never takes off. The first 20 minutes are promising, when we see Dawn on her grandmother's farm, and there is a chance encounter with Trey at a country dance bar. Had that storyline had continued, I would have enjoyed it, but we were soon off to Paris, Texas (which is in the northeast corner of the state above Dallas). The Wrong Paris could have been a humorous take on the romantic contests that occur seemingly every few months on TV and streaming, giving us an inside look at how they manipulate everything. Instead, the film relies on slapstick comedy that is never funny and misses the mark. The romance between Trey and Dawn seems forced, and we never get the feeling that the two are really meant to be together, other than that they both wear cowboy boots. By the end, I didn’t quite know how everything wrapped up, which sums up the film as a whole. My Rating: Cable  The Wrong Paris Info  The review of the film will be up Friday night. 

Indiefest:  Bang Bang  (2024) R  Bang Bang is about retired boxer Bernard “Bang Bang” Rozyski (Tim Blake Nelson), whose promising career was cut short by rumors of Bang Bang taking a dive. Now he has a chance for redemption when he starts training his grandson (Andrew Liner) to box. Tim Blake Nelson gives a tour de force performance of a man who is stuck living in the past. It’s a down and dirty performance of a man who only knows how to fight and sees his grandson as a ticket to get back into the game and get redemption. Bang Bang is a character study where you won’t like many of the people that inhabit its world, but you will be fascinated to find out what happens to them.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Bang Bang Info Now in select theatres. 

Indiefest:  The Baltimorons  (2025) R  In The Baltimorons, Cliff (Michael Strassner) has a dental emergency on Christmas Eve and meets Didi (Liz Larsen), a dentist who treats him. Both of them realize they have nowhere to go for the holidays, and Cliff persuades Didi to explore Baltimore together. It’s an accident that brought them together, but it’s love that will keep them together.  I loved this romantic and funny movie, which is a joy to watch as we follow Didi and Cliff on a night of adventure, discovery, and a little trouble. Strassner and Larsen have sizzling chemistry, playing off each other to create both comedic and romantic moments. This isn’t a knee-slapping comedy, but one that brings plenty of smiles and a few chuckles while we watch two people find they enjoy each other's company and want to spend as much time together as possible. The Baltimorons is a film that cherishes its city and the people who inhabit it, especially Didi and Cliff. My only minor quibble is that I wished Cliff had been better and funnier at improv. He didn’t deliver the goods, as they say in improvland. However, that’s an insignificant problem in a film that has heart and is a delight to watch, as two people discover that maybe life is worth living when shared with someone who cares. My Rating: Full Price  The Baltimorons Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Boys Go to Jupiter  (2024)  In the animated film Boys Go to Jupiter, a teenager who calls himself Billy 5000 (voiced by Jack Corbett), is trying to make money working for the food delivery agency Grubster and thinks he has figured out a way to play the system and make some big money. Boys Go to Jupiter is a delightful and funny film about a teen who is living in his sister’s garage and has set a goal for himself to make 5,000 dollars to pay her for letting him stay there after being abandoned by his mother. We watch as Billy makes deliveries (using his hoverboard) to a host of strange characters that inhabit his ocean-side city. Billy falls for the daughter of a local orange juice manufacturer. Her mother is an inventor whom we only see through her robot. The film is part sci-fi comedy, part manifesto on the evils of corporations and capitalism, while also having a heart and soul that highlights the importance of friends and family. It’s a bold adventure that uses animation to capture a strange combination of the ordinary and the weird to a delightful mix. So go root for Billy 5000 to meet his goal and maybe find a little romance and happiness along the way.  My Rating: Full Price  Boys Go to Jupiter Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Amateur  (1994)  R  Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert) is a virgin who lives in New York, was a nun for fifteen years, and now writes pornography for a living. She meets Thomas, who walks into the diner where Isabelle writes her pornography stories. Thomas has amnesia, and the Dutch money he has on him is the only clue to who he is. That’s how this wild, mystery/drama/comedy starts, which includes a prostitute and former porn actress (Elina Lowensohn) who used to be married to Thomas and is out to kill a businessman named Jacques, whom she blames for all her trouble. Amateur is a bizarre yet enjoyable movie, set in 1990s New York City, that is enjoyable to watch because of Isabelle Huppert, the former nun who is drawn to Thomas and decides to help him. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting. Hal Hartley, known for his award-winning films The Unbelievable Truth (1989) and Trust (1990), directs the film. Look for Parker Posey in a small role as a squatter and Currie Graham as a video store clerk.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Amateur Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale:  Home Economist 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Smashing Machine  (2025)  R   A look at three years (1997-2000) in the life of mixed-martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson). Supported by his girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt), Mark struggles to overcome addiction and make a comeback in the UFC universe, when the sport was just beginning to gain popularity at the time. The film has been the talk of the fall film festival circuit. When I first watched the trailer, I didn’t recognize Dwayne Johnson until near the end; I kept thinking, “Where did they find an actor with such a massive physique?” The Smashing Machine is the first solo film from writer-director Benny Safdie, who, with his brother Josh, brought us Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019).   The Smashing Machine Website  In theaters on Friday, October 2, 2025.

Until Next Time!

The Conjuring: Last Rites

My View: The Conjuring: Last Rites  (2025) R  The Conjuring: Last Rites is about Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), who, as renowned paranormal investigators, have taken on many a dangerous case. This time, they are confronting a demon they met before, and it may be the last case the Warrens ever take. I thought the first two films of the series were fun and scary rides, providing well-done horror that created a lot of tension throughout their stories. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for this (hopefully) final installment in the Warrens’ story of battling paranormal beings. The film is incredibly long and has far too much exposition, which hinders the story’s momentum, causes it to drag at a snail’s pace. There are many hints to our favorite scary doll named Annabelle, but it’s main focus is on a demon inside a mirror that gets pissed at the Warrens and vows revenge. I’m not sure demons hold grudges or vow revenge. Still, this one seems to be focused on the Warrens, especially on their daughter, Judy (Mia Tomlinson). This connection becomes evident almost immediately, yet Ed and Lorraine appear oblivious to it throughout the film. It seems that too many demon fights have slowed down the Warrens, and besides, in this film, they have retired because Ed is going to have another heart attack any minute. The scares are few and far between, overshadowed by family drama involving both the Warrens and the enormous family where that the mirror has taken up residence in. I got so annoyed by this large family with the kids running around everywhere that I was hoping something, anything, would happen to make them move out (which didn’t happen). The Conjuring: Last Rites is a lame, slow end to a horror series that started so promising. Maybe now, in real life, that comedian has bought the Warren’s collection, including the Annabelle doll, the scares can begin for real, because they weren’t in this film.  My Rating: Cable  The Conjuring: Last Rites Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

Indiefest:  Splitsville  (2025)   R  In Splitsville, Carey (Kyle Marvin) and his wife, Ashley (Adria Arjona), are not doing well, and Ashley tells Carey that she has been sleeping around and wants a divorce. Carey freaks out and runs to the house of his friend Paul (Michael Angelo Covino) and his wife Julie (Dakota Johnson). He tells them the news and discovers that Paul and Julie have an open marriage. Things are about to get either very interesting or very disturbing. If you liked the 2019 film The Climb (from the same team of Marvin and Covino), you going to love this film. I am a big fan of The Climb, about two friends where one keeps sleeping with the other’s girlfriends with very funny results. Splitsville is a full-out farce about love, relationships between both lovers and friends. There are a couple of absolutely hilarious fights, one of which, much to our delight, restarts just when you think it's over. Marvin and Covino have incredible chemistry together, and their interplay is so much fun to watch, as they joust over who is sleeping with whom. Adria Arjona’s character is the catalyst of the film, but she gets lost a bit as the focus shifts to the two guys and Dakota Johnson’s character. The star of the film is Johnson, who perfectly plays the serene Julie, who does a magnificent job of playing the object of the guys’ desire but gives both of them a lot of side-eye to their shenanigans. It’s a performance that could have been overplayed easily, but Johnson shows perfect restraint. So, see Splitsville and see who gets to end up with whom and why. It may surprise you.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Splitsville Website  Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest:  Twinless  (2025) R   Twinless is about two men, Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (James Sweeney), who meet in a twin support group for siblings who’ve lost their twin. Together, they forge a unique friendship that fills a void in their lives, becoming inseparable in the process. However, everything begins to change when Roman meets Marcie (Aisling Franciosi), and the situation reveals itself to be more complicated than it initially appears. I enjoyed this film because it does an excellent job of combining topics of loss, grief, and guilt with lots of comedic and heartwarming moments. Twinless is a story of two lost souls that find friendship through loss, proving that opposites attract. What makes this film intriguing and dark is that it features a couple of twists that are both shocking and unexpected. James Sweeney as the shy Dennis and Dylan O’Brien as the hothead Roman make us believe that these two very different characters could become close as their friendship fills a void that both have. Aisling Franciosi is delightful as Marcie, who goes from being a work-friend of Dennis’s to a possible love interest of Roman, much to the dismay of Dennis. Twinless is a film that continually surprises you as you get immersed in their world as two individuals search for comfort and possibly more from each other.  My Rating: Full Price  Twinless Website   Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  The Threesome  (2025)   R   The Threesome follows Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), who on one unbelievable night, ends up sleeping with not only the girl of his dreams, Olivia (Zoey Deutch), but also a new woman he just met, Jenny (Ruby Cruz). The only problem is that both women end up pregnant, and Connor doesn’t have a clue how to handle this situation. For those of you expecting a typical “follow the rules” rom-com, you will be surprised-- hopefully in a good way. I loved the dynamic between Connor and Olivia, which is fun, snappy, and touching. However, I will admit that Zoey Deutch does most of the heavy lifting in this film. Deutch perfectly embodies the fiery, quick-witted, and strong-willed character who doesn't always follow the rules or her heart. I thought Ruby Cruz, as the quieter yet also humerous Jenny, was fantastic in the role, able to play off of Deutch’s persona with ease. Jonah Hauer-King is a bit of a charmer, but there were times when I felt he was a bit of a weak link. The storyline is inventive and has some great twists and turns to keep you guessing about how everything and everyone is going to end up. Overall, The Threesome is a delightful take on the rom-com genre, making it an enjoyable watch.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee The Threesome Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  A Little Prayer  (2023)   R   A Little Prayer is about Bill (David Strathairn) and his wife Venida (Celia Weston), who live and work in Winston-Salem. His son David (Will Pullen) works at Bill’s business and lives out back with his wife Tammy (Jane Levy). Bill is concerned that his son is drinking too much, and then learns that David is having an affair with a co-worker. Can Bill help mend the troubled marriage between David and Tammy? A Little Prayer is anchored by the subtle and moving performances of David Strathairn and Jane Levy. Strathairn as the father who struggles to keep his family together, while Levy as the put-upon wife of David, who puts on a brave and positive face, but inside is being destroyed little by little. Strathaim plays Bill as a man who has made mistakes in the past and is trying his best to make amends by being the peacemaker in the family. Unfortunately, his family keeps falling apart, tearing itself from the inside, and there isn’t much that Bill can do. All Bill can do is what he thinks is best, even if it means that things might get even worse. Levy is moving as the woman who always puts on a show of being happy when we see her in moments alone, where the pain and hurt are evident on her face or in her actions, such as wandering off into the backyard alone or being awake in bed while her drunk husband sleeps it off next to her. A Little Prayer is a film about people who have scars that have never healed. These wounds won’t mend until drastic changes are made, and not everyone is capable of making those changes.  My Rating: Full Price  A Little Prayer Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Lurker  (2025)  R   Lurker starts when, while working in a retail store, Mathew (Théodore Pellerin) meets Oliver (Archie Madekwe), an up-and-coming pop star. To Mathew’s surprise, he becomes part of Oliver’s inner circle. However, this newfound access may come at a significant price—one that could be a matter of life and death. I had trouble with this film from the start because I never found myself liking or rooting for Matthew. Furthermore, I felt Oliver was a pompous ass from the get-go, as well. The film doesn’t quite know what it wants to be: a moody drama, a tense melodrama, or a suspense film. There is, of course, the subplot that addresses fame and how yes-men and women surround someone in Oliver’s position, and how to fit in; Mathew has to become one of them. However, I had a hard time believing how easily an awkward kid like Mathew made it into the inner circle and became Oliver’s personal documentary filmmaker. I wasn’t engaged in the story, and how it ends seemed too easy to come up with to try to shock us. And by the way, Mathew’s camera work is horrible: I can’t imagine sitting through an entire documentary created by him. It would be nauseating, unlike this film, which was just dull and unbelievable.  My Rating: Cable  Lurker Website Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film:  The Pumpkin Eater (1964) Jo (Ann Bancroft) is a mother of five who left her 2nd husband, Giles (Richard Johnson), to marry a dashing screenwriter, Jake (Peter Finch), bringing her five children with her. At first, their marriage seems wonderful, but soon Jo feels abandoned as she is left to do the housework and raise the children alone. Things fall apart when Jo finds out that Jake is having multiple affairs and their marriage begins to unravel before her eyes. The screenplay is by Nobel Prize winner Harold Pinter and directed by Jack Clayton, who was nominated for an Academy Award for the 1959 film Room at the Top. The Pumpkin Eater was made during a time when adult audiences were accustomed to stories featuring characters in their 30s and 40s, unlike today's emphasis on teens and young adults. Forget the horrible title of the film and some of the outdate 1960s settings, and marvel at how good an actress Ann Bancroft is. She won her second Academy Award for this role, delivering a moving and brilliant performance. There is a literal knock-down, drag-out fight between Bancroft and Finch that is hard to watch; it is so realistic. The Pumpkin Eater is a film about a woman who is struggling to find happiness, faced with the choice of settling for less or moving on once again.    My Rating: Full Price  The Pumpkin Eater Info  The film is available on Tubi and Amazon Prime

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Conjuring: Last Rites:  Costume Cutter

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale  (2025)  PG  In Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the household is on the brink of social disgrace with Mary (Michelle Dockery) in the middle of a very public divorce and the family facing financial ruin. The Crawleys will have to embrace change if Downton Abbey is to survive. This is the third and final film of the series. There will be a small tribute in the film to the late Maggie Smith.  Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Website  In theaters on Friday, September 12, 2025.

Until Next Time!