Anniversary

My View:  Anniversary  (2025)  R  Anniversary follows the story of Ellen and Paul (Diane Lane and Kyle Chandler), whose lives start to fall apart when Liz (Phoebe Dynevor) starts dating their son (Dylan O’Brien). It seems that not only is Liz a former student of Ellen, but has a secret that could unravel everything they hoped and dreamed for their son. Anniversary is a film where a few of the performances outweigh the quality of the direction and the script. Kyle Chandler gives one of his best performances of his career as a husband who wants everyone to get along and is convinced that things will work out, until they don’t, and then he becomes the last holdout when almost everyone else has given in. I don’t want to give too much away about the plot, but it’s about a world where a particular ideology threatens to take over everyone’s world. The film keeps adding plot twists to a movie that already has too many in its first 30 minutes. The ending is heavy-handed, and there is a scene in the final minutes that just made me mad because it was such an obvious callback to an early moment in the film. Anniversary wastes a strong cast by giving them parts that are either too clownish to be believable or too thin to understand their actions. I don’t think I will be celebrating this film’s anniversary anytime soon. My Rating: Cable  Anniversary Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Familyfaire:  Stitch Head  (2025)  PG  Stitch Head follows the story of a small, forgotten creature named Stitch Head, living in a castle. A Mad Professor keeps bringing strange put-together monsters to life and gives Stitch Head, his first creation, the job of protecting the professor’s newest creations from the suspicious townspeople of Grubber Nubbin. Stitch Head is if Tim Burton got together with the team that created The Greatest Showman and decided to do a new take on Frankenstein. Instead of scary monsters, we get a group of creatures that are deathly afraid of venturing out of the castle, worried that an angry mob of villagers is going to attack at any minute. Into the town comes a circus sideshow that is failing, and its ringmaster discovers Stitch Head is his sure-fire ticket to success. I had a great time watching this fun and charming film, a combination of a Hollywood musical and a Buster Keaton comedy. The animation is lively, and the storyline will please both parents and kids, who will fall in love with the adorable Stitch Head. So grab some popcorn and sit down to see a bunch of lovable monsters, a strange town, and a very sad sideshow combine to make an enjoyable time in the theater.  My Rating: Full Price  Stitch Head Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Hedda  (2025)  R  Hedda takes place during a lavish party at the mansion that Hedda (Tessa Thompson) and her husband, George (Tom Bateman), a college professor, live at. Things get dicey when Hedda’s former lover, Eileen (Nina Hoss), arrives with her girlfriend, Thea (Imogen Poots). Hedda takes this as a challenge to turn the tables and the spotlight on herself. It’s going to be an interesting party. Ever been to a party that you thought you were going to have a great time at, but wanted to leave after just a few minutes? That is how I felt watching this film. My biggest problem with the film is that it’s about Hedda, and I left feeling I knew less about her than any guest at the party. Tessa Thompson plays Hedda, who is unhappy unless she is creating problems for everyone, including her husband, her former lovers, and anyone else that she sets her sights on. Based on Henrik Ibsen’s play, but set in more modern times, Hedda is a woman who delights in pushing people’s buttons and in having everyone lust after her. Thompson’s performance lacks the charisma the role requires, and I never felt invested in her character. Unfortunately (for the film’s sake), I found the former lover of Hedda’s, Eileen, to be a far more interesting and rounded character than Hedda. Nina Hoss steals the movie as a determined woman who ventures into Hedda’s party with the intent of showing Hedda how much she has changed and that she no longer needs or wants Hedda’s attention. It’s a marvelous performance, so good that you wish her character was the main focus of the story. By the time the film ended, I didn’t really care what happened to Hedda, and I hope I never get invited to one of her parties again.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Hedda Website  Now playing on Amazon Prime

Indiefest:  Nouvelle Vague  (2025)  R Nouvelle Vague tells the story of the birth of the New Wave era in French cinema. In 1959, Jean-Luc Godard (Guillaume Marbeck), a former film critic, directed a groundbreaking film called Breathless that ignited the cinema world. I am not a big fan of the French “New Wave” films of the late 50s and early 60s, which took a new perspective on filmmaking, including using jump cuts, hand-held cameras, and dialogue created in the moment. The film is director Richard Linklater’s love letter to the New Wave movement and its filmmakers and film critics. The film follows Jean-Luc Godard as he films a movie, seemingly with little regard for anything beyond his conviction that he is making a great movie. For filmgoers who aren’t knowledgeable about the movement, the constant introduction of filmmakers and writers in the film will get old very fast. I think what is missing from the film is the excitement and passion these filmmakers brought to moviemaking, in their gorilla-style of shooting first and taking names later. I thoroughly enjoyed the performances of Zoey Deutch as American actress Jean Seberg and Aubry Dullin as French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. Deutch makes us fall in love with beautiful and talented Seberg, showing us why Seberg had that screen presence and charm that filmmakers fell in love with. And Dullin gives us the boyish charm of Belmondo that made him an instant international star. I just wish I had enjoyed the film more, but I felt it was trying to teach me rather than letting me enjoy the moment. Kind of like the New Wave movement wanted us to experience film, just enjoy the moment.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Nouvelle Vague Website      In select theaters on Friday, October 31, 2025, and on Netflix on Friday, November 14, 2025. 

Indiefest:  Queens of the Dead (2025)  R  Queens of the Dead takes place when a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn. As the undead emerge on the night of a major warehouse party, a group of drag queens, club kids, and even a few frenemies must put aside their differences to take on the danger. Together, they will harness their unique skills to fight against the horde of zombies. Queens of the Dead is fun and funny for about the first fifteen minutes. Sadly, it starts to run out of steam when the zombies start showing up in force. Which is quite strange, given that the daughter of legendary George Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead), Tina Romero, co-wrote and directed this film. The jokes become increasingly forced, and the acting begins to falter when the characters are pushed to react more intensely. By the end of the film, which concludes quite unconvincingly, I felt ready to sashay my way out of the theater.   My Rating: Cable  Queens of the Dead Website    Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Bugonia  (2025) R Bugonia unfolds when two conspiracy-obsessed young men (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) kidnap a high-powered CEO (Emma Stone), convinced that not only is she an alien, but she is planning on destroying the planet. Another in a long line of strange but enjoyable films for five-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, Bugonia is part comedy, part drama, with a bunch of absolutely bonkers scenes thrown into the mix. It is so much fun to watch Plemons and Stone on the screen together. Plemons plays a man who is convinced he must save the earth by forcing this alien to take him to her leader for a meeting to save the planet. Stone, playing a CEO who thinks, no, knows she is smarter than Plemons’ character and needs to find a weakness to get him to see that it would be in his best interest to let her go. If you didn’t enjoy films like Poor Things or The Favourite, then don’t see this film, as it is more of the same Lanthimos touch of wackiness with scenes that can go quickly from humor to horror in a matter of seconds. Stone and Plemons show why they are two of our finest actors, who have finely tuned their craft to make any scene work, no matter how off-the-wall nuts it is. My Rating: Full Price  Bugonia Website  Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film:  A Walk on the Moon  (1999)  R  In 1969, things are changing in the world, especially in a small town where a bored housewife named Pearl (Diane Lane) meets a traveling dress-seller (Viggo Mortensen). Soon, Pearl succumbs to desire, and her life becomes more meaningful than it ever has been before. While A Walk on the Moon isn’t great, it’s always a delight to watch Diane Lane work. I wish the story had been more centered on Pearl’s daughter, Allison, played by Anna Paquin, who commands the screen in every scene she is in, so much so that you can’t take your eyes off her. There is a better film hiding somewhere in the script about Allison than this one, centering on Pearl.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   A Walk on the Moon Info Available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Bugonia: Air Management

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Wicked: For Good  (2025)  PG  As Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), the Good Witch of the North begin to embrace their roles, a rift begins to develop between the two friends, as their lives move down a path of confrontation. Oh, and a certain young woman from Kansas is about to come onto the scene.  Wicked: For Good Website The sequel to last year’s hit musical comes to theaters on Friday, November 21, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

My View:  Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere  (2025)  PG-13   Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere takes place just as Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) is climbing into the stratosphere of rock stardom. In 1982, he decided to craft and record an album called Nebraska, which caused him to reconcile his stardom with the ghosts of the past. I am a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, and my greatest concert experience was seeing him play for 3 hours in December 1978. So, I was excited to see a film based on the book by Warren Zanes about the troubles Bruce Springsteen faced while recording Nebraska. Two brilliant performances anchor Springsteen: Jeremy Allen White as Bruce and Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s manager and confidant, Jon Landau. White does a fantastic job of bringing Springsteen’s powerful stage presence and charisma to the screen, while also letting us see a personal side of a man haunted by his childhood and depression, which doesn’t always allow him to let people in too close. Strong is brilliant as Jon Landau, a former rock journalist who, after seeing Bruce perform one night, wrote, “I have seen the future of rock and roll and it’s Bruce Springsteen.” Strong gives a nuanced, sometimes reserved performance as a man who cares more about Bruce’s welfare than about albums and top ten hits. The scenes between Strong and White are the film’s best and get to the heart of what Bruce was trying to convey in his music. It doesn’t hurt that we have Paul Walter Hauser to show up from time to time, adding a little comic relief as Bruce’s go-between and somewhat tech guy to help set up Bruce’s recordings from his hideaway home. Springsteen suffers a bit with Odessa Young as the romantic interest, Faye, who starts as just a fun fling but gets serious, much too serious for Bruce at that time to handle. The relationship is pretty shallow and too predictable to make the audience care about how it turns out. The film is also a bit slow, as we spend a lot of time with Bruce walking around by himself or brooding at home, and some scenes showing Bruce as a kid interacting with his father feel slightly overkill. However, the film does a great job of showing how personal the Nebraska album was to Bruce and how much he cared about how he wanted the world to hear what he heard when he wrote the songs. For Bruce Springsteen fans, this will be a great ride down memory lane. For those of you who only know Bruce as an aging rock star, you can see why an album with no hit songs and no publicity did so well at the time and is considered one of the great albums of the 20th century. Hopefully, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere will get you to listen to some of Bruce’s early work, including my favorite, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle.  My Rating: Full Price Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere Website Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View:  Frankenstein  2025)  R   In Frankenstein, a brilliant scientist, Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), brings a creature (Jacob Elordi) to life as part of a horrific experiment. The creation that brought life to the world will ultimately lead to the downfall of both the creator and the creature. There have been hundreds (some estimates exceed 400) of movies about Frankenstein and his monster. Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water, Pinocchio), a self-proclaimed horror film nut, is the latest to try his hand at the Mary Shelley novel. Does del Toro succeed? In creating a super scary horror film (like I was hoping for)? No. Does he create an engaging, worth-watching psychological drama with a bit of horror thrown in? Absolutely. Unlike some of the films of the past that have portrayed Dr. Frankenstein as misunderstood and somewhat sympathetic, Oscar Isaac’s Doctor is a self-centered, righteous jerk who takes out his bad childhood on everyone he comes into contact with, including ‘the monster.’ We see how horrible the Doctor is as he attempts to steal his brother’s (Felix Kammerer) fiancée, Elizabeth (played by Mia Goth), right under his brother’s nose. However, the Doctor is ‘blocked’ by his own creation, the monster, with whom Elizabeth has a connection. I thoroughly enjoyed Jacob Elordi’s performance as the monster, who transitions from a childlike simpleton to a vengeful creature with more emotion and intelligence than his creator. Christoph Waltz also delivered an impressive, scene-stealing performance as the Doctor’s benefactor, who has his own plans for the monster. The cinematography, set design, and costumes—especially the gowns worn by Goth—are remarkable and effectively set the tone for the film and its characters. However, I wish there had been more focus on the horror elements. Frankenstein opens with an amazing opening sequence that is both terrifying and beautiful, but never delivers the scares I wanted to see in a film like this. Instead, we are presented with a drama centered on a man that we ultimately come to despise and a monster that, while maybe we may not love, we understand better than the Doctor.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Frankenstein Website  Now playing in select theaters and on Netflix starting November 7, 2025

Indiefest:  If I Had Legs I'd Kick You  (2025)  R   If I Had Legs I Kick You focuses on Linda (Rose Byrne), who is increasingly troubled by the burden of all that life has dumped on her. Between her sick daughter, a house that is falling apart, a husband who is always away, and a very hostile relationship with her therapist, Linda is barely holding on. At the center of the film is a gutsy and magical performance by Rose Byrne, about a character that you want to root for but can’t always because she keeps pushing the boundaries of common sense, while we wait for her world to finally crash down around her. This isn’t a film for everyone, as Linda keeps putting herself in situations that you think are not only bad ideas but could get her in major trouble. Linda is a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown with a husband who manages her life from a phone, a daughter who she has to monitor 24 hours a day because of an illness and a therapist who treats her like she isn’t worth his time (kudos to Conan O’Brien for a taking a role that not only isn’t funny but is our right hate-able). Byrne skillfully portrays Linda, a character who, in the hands of less talented actors, could easily become unlikable or a caricature. Instead, she makes Linda someone we want to root for and care about, hoping she receives the help—both physical and emotional—she needs before she collapses under the weight of responsibility, guilt, and motherhood. If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is a fantastic film that combines suspense, black comedy, and heart to tell a story about a woman who is trying to jump through all the hoops and keep in the air all the balls that life has given her but it’s just too much effort to do both simultaneously and Linda in her heart knows it. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again If I Had Legs I'd Kick You Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Blue Moon  (2025)  R Blue Moon tells the story of songwriter Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), who was at the top of the Broadway world alongside his writing partner, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott). However, Rogers has left Hart to work on his new hit musical, Oklahoma!. Heartbroken and longing for a woman he secretly loves, Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley), Hart decides to attend the afterparty for Oklahoma! in an attempt to drown his sorrows. It’s going to be a night that few will forget. Ethan Hawke gives the performance of a lifetime as Lorenz Hart, who is described at the beginning of the movie as “the saddest man I ever knew.” Hawke portrays one of our greatest lyricist of all time as a man who has no hope with two of the most important people in his life, his former song-writing partner, Richard Rogers (played by Andrew Scott) and a college student, Elizabeth (played by Margaret Qualley), who Lorenz is madly in love with, even though she is over 25 years his junior. Hawke, who is sporting a horrible comb-over (Hawke shaved the top of his head for the role), and through camera and movie magic, has shrunken his height from 5’10 to a little under 5 feet tall for Hart’s appearance. It is a remarkable and commanding performance of a man who has burned too many personal and creative bridges and continues to believe, against all hope, that he has a chance with Elizabeth. It’s a moving performance that makes us root for a man who won’t win any battles, except one of wits. Margaret Qualley is perfect as the beautiful and smart Elizabeth, who sees Hart only as a friend and a way to get into the Broadway world. I loved Bobby Cannavale as the bartender who sees Lorenz not only as a good customer but also as a friend. Who wants to stop Hart from drinking but knows he will always give in to a man he can’t resist. The film is an hour and forty minutes long, but it makes sure we wait, like Hart, for the moments between Elizabeth and Lorenz until the last third of the film. It’s like watching a man who we know is about to be killed by a firing squad, but he thinks he is about to be pardoned. Hawke is a wonder to watch as he is in every scene as Hart weaves his way through story after story, while also figuring out a way to get drinks he shouldn’t be getting. Blue Moon is a film that you are dazzled by a performance of an actor who is playing a man who makes words become songs we will never forget, just as we will never forget this performance that Ethan Hawke has given us. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Blue Moon Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Regretting You  (2025)  PG-13 In Regretting You, Clara (Mckenna Grace) and her mother, Morgan (Allison Williams), worlds are shattered when Chris (Scott Eastwood), Morgan’s husband is killed in an automobile accident with Morgan’s younger sister (Willa Fitzgerald). As Clara copes with this tragedy, she begins to uncover a shocking secret that her father and aunt may have been hiding. Regretting You is another in a long line of films that are probably far better books than the movies they are based on. The big twists in the plot are revealed almost from the start, and the decision to let James Franco and Allison Williams, both playing adults in their 30s, also play themselves in numerous flashbacks as teens, was a horrible idea that is jarring, to say the least. The only saving grace of this tearjerker/romance is the performances of Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames as the two teens who are on a collision course to become involved. The two have great chemistry, and both have some star power that lets you forget at times how badly the script is written, with dialogue that seems almost from a 50s TV soap opera. By the way, an AMC here in Georgia has more screen time in the movie than Scott Eastwood does, which was a little weird, since I saw the screening at a Regal Theater. Maybe if the writer had spent a little more time in that theater, the script would have been better.  My Rating: Cable Regretting You Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Shelby Oaks  (2024)   R Shelby Oaks centers on Mia (Camille Sullivan), whose sister Riley went missing after shooting a YouTube video about hunting ghosts. Now Mia has footage from the day Riley went missing, and it turns out the ghosts Riley was looking for might be real. Shelby Oaks starts with a bang, as we see, through news reports and YouTube videos, what happened to Riley just before she went missing. Then a shocking thing happens to Mia in the present day, and I think, now we have a movie. Unfortunately, the plot, like Riley, disappears, and the rest of the film is a slow, disappointing slog that rarely creates anything more than ‘jump out of the dark’ scares and has an ending that we have seen too many times before.   My Rating: Cable    Shelby Oaks Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Chainsaw Man: The Movie - Reze Arc (2025)  R   Chainsaw Man: The Movie - Reze Arc is about Denji, the “Chainsaw Man”, a boy with a devil’s heart, and part of Special Division 4’s devil hunters. Denji’s life takes a dramatic turn when he meets Reze, a mysterious girl who works at a cafe, and he finds himself falling for her. I am not a big anime fan, mostly because I don’t read the manga and don’t watch the endless TV series. Most of the time, I see an anime that isn’t a standalone, I am lost and spend most of my viewing time trying to figure out what is happening, who to root for, and why they are doing what they are doing (which usually involves a lot of fighting). I am happy to say that not only did I greatly enjoy this film, but I was able to figure out pretty quickly not only who was who, but what the storyline was. Some of it has to do with the main character, a superhero guy who is half a human and the other half a demon who can turn into a fighting machine with not only chainsaw arms but one sticking out of the top of his head and as long as he is reaving up (with a pull cord coming out of his chest) he can’t be killed and can regenerate. What makes this film different from some other anime is that it is R-rated, and a good portion of it is about our hero, like many young men, being torn between two young women who are interested in him. The first portion of the film shows our hero going on dates with both women and how conflicted he is about them, suggesting he doesn’t have much experience with dating. Then, just when things are going great, bad guys show up and mayhem ensues. And I mean mayhem, with lots of blood, arms being blown off or cut off, and people dying in some rather gruesome ways. The film is fun, the action sequences are a blast to watch, and I loved our hero and how geeky and uncomfortable he can be, even though he’s half-demon. I saw the film at a screening full of fans of the character, and they were having a great time watching the antics of Chainsaw Man and his friends, as he goes on dates and has bloody battles with demons out to cut out his heart (I never figured out why that was a significant plot point). So if you’ve never seen anime before and you like lots of action with a bit of romance, this might be a great way to start. My Rating: Full Price Chainsaw Man: The Movie Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost  (2025)   Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost is a documentary about the husband and wife comedy team of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Directed by their son, Ben Sitller, this is a loving tribute to two people who were married for over 60 years and, for the first part of their careers, acted together on stage. Stiller & Meara offers a moving and detailed look at a couple who deeply loved each other but were actors, actors who had ambition to be the best they could be. Aided by the fact that Jerry threw nothing away and was always either tape-recording or filming, the documentary provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of two remarkable comedic actors who were also partners in life. At times, the film may come off as overly sentimental or self-reflective from Ben’s perspective, but it effectively conveys how the couple collaborated to become a successful comedy duo. It also explores how their individual careers and the dynamic of their relationship changed due to their working apart, ultimately benefiting their marriage. It’s also a look at how Jerry and Anne’s parenting and working relationship had such an impact on Ben and his sister Amy. For those of you who only know Jerry through Seinfeld and Anne through all her guest star appearances, his documentary sheds light on the significance and humor of their partnership during their early years on stage. My rating: Full Price   Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost Info  Now playing on the Apple TV+ platform

Forgotten Film:  Predestination (2014)  R   A time-traveling law enforcement officer (Ethan Hawke) goes after the one bad guy who has eluded him all these years - the infamous terrorist known as the “Fizzle Bomber.” During his travels, the officer encounters a woman (Sarah Snook) with a significant tale to tell. I loved this film. It’s quirky and full of twists and turns, so you will not see the ending coming. Hawke is perfect in the role, and Sarah Snook is an absolute revelation in a dual role, bringing a complex character to its full potential. If you like mysteries combined with a little Sci-Fi, then this film is for you.  My Rating : Full Price Predestination Info Avaiable on the Roku Channel and for rent/buy on Amazon Prime

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Frankenstein:  Frankenstein Family Portrait By

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Secret Agent (2025) R In 1977, Marcelo (Wagner Moura) is living in Brazil and is a technology expert fleeing from a mysterious past. He moves back to his hometown to be near his son, but he soon realizes that the city is far from the refuge he seeks. The film is getting a lot of buzz as a possible multiple Academy Award nominee, including Best Actor for Moura. The Secret Agent Website The film will be in theaters on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Black Phone 2

My View: Black Phone 2  (2025) R   Black Phone 2 continues the story of Finn (Mason Thames), who is still haunted by his encounter with and the killing of The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Finn’s sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), begins receiving calls in her sleep from the infamous black phone and seeing visions of three boys being stalked by The Grabber at a winter camp called Alpine Lake. The two decide they must investigate the visions, as it seems The Grabber isn’t done with them. I loved The Black Phone (2021), which I felt was one of the best horror films of that year, saying that it was “Part horror film, part ghost story with a whole lot of suspense thrown in, we get a tale that will thrill and shock you without a lot of jump-out-of-the-dark scares.” One of the most enjoyable things about that first film was Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), the feisty and sometimes foul-mouthed younger sister of the lead character Finn. In this sequel, filmmaker Scott Derrickson brings back Gwen, but this time not as a funny sidekick but as the main character. Gwen has inherited her mother’s ability to dream about kids in danger, and she convinces her troubled brother (hey, he fought The Grabber and won), along with a very smitten friend, Ernesto (Miquel Mora), to work at the camp. It’s hard for lightning to strike twice, and unfortunately, Black Phone 2 fails to capture the scares and the imagination that made the first film such a great horror film. I think a little Gwen goes a long way, and featuring her with lengthy, unscary dreams (shot in Super 8 to make it seem dreamier, I guess) slowed down the film and created a lot of mild horror sequences. There are some religious overtones that don’t work, and I’m not sure how much Ethan Hawke worked on this film, but it wasn’t much. There isn’t the sense of surprise or tension that the first film created so effectively. Additionally, what I loved about the first film was that you didn’t see the twists coming. This time, the film just phoned them in.  My Rating: Cable  Black Phone 2 Website   Now playing in theaters. 

My View: Good Fortune  (2025)  R   Good Fortune is about a bungling but well-meaning angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) who interferes in the life of a struggling gig worker, Arj (Aziz Ansari), and a wealthy venture capitalist named Jeff (Seth Rogen). The two men are about to get the shock of their lives. Good Fortune is what I call a “two-hour experience,” which is a film that you enjoy for two hours and then forget almost immediately. It's essentially the old exchanging places story with an angel twist. I enjoyed Keanu as the slightly stupid angel who wants to do more than preventing people from getting into accidents while texting. Keanu as the fallen angel was the highlight of the film, and it’s a sublime piece of acting that keeps your attention, wondering what Gabriel is going to do or say next. However, the other characters felt very one-dimensional, and I thought the film's moralizing was rather heavy-handed. Good Fortune doesn't quite deliver the laughs required to be a proper comedy, nor does it offer enough emotional depth or moral lessons to qualify as a drama. Good Fortune is fine for a diversion, but that’s about all it offers. Though it made me want some tacos, so you have that going for it (you will have to see the movie to know why). My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Good Fortune Website  Now playing in theaters 

My View:  After the Hunt  (2025)  R  In After the Hunt, a Yale professor named Alma (Julia Roberts) becomes embroiled in a scandal when her star pupil (Ayo Edebiri) accuses one of Alma’s colleagues, who is also her best friend and confidant (Andrew Garfield), of wrongdoing. As Alma weighs who to support, a dark secret of Alma’s suddenly comes into play that could destroy everyone. Julia Roberts is one of the all-time greats of her generation, consistently delivering exceptional performances, and she once again delivers a nuanced performance that surpasses the film’s plot. The primary reason to watch this film is the talented cast, featuring a captivating performance by Ayo Edebiri as a student who accuses a professor, and an over-the-top portrayal by Andrew Garfield as a self-important, slimy professor who believes he is God’s gift to women and academia. Unfortunately, the cast is let down by a film that keeps repeating the same idea and tone. It’s a dreary film that repeatedly hammers the same points, combined with melodramatic moments that don’t match the performances of the cast. After the Hunt feels like a film that used to come out back in the 70s/80s and quickly went away, and it’s disappointing that, after the “Me Too” movement, this film couldn’t offer a more compelling narrative. Instead, we keep getting hit over the head with twists that seem forced and an ending meant to shock, but ultimately leaves the audience feeling indifferent.  My Rating: Cable  After the Hunt Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Perfect Neighbor  (2025) R  The Perfect Neighbor is a documentary that tells the story of a minor disagreement between neighbors in Florida that escalated to repeated calls to the police and a horrifying, fatal turn that shocked a neighborhood and a nation. This is a film where you are a fly on the wall as this story unfolds because all the footage is from the perspective of the police body cams as they answer calls to the neighborhood. We see the constant buildup to the incident as the sheriff’s department interviews an older woman who is the source of the calls, complaining about the neighborhood kids going onto her property and harassing her. However, this isn’t your normal Fox Cops show; this is a horror film that we see unfold to us over months that lead up to the killing of a mother who was trying to confront a woman who had constantly called the police on both the adults and the children in the neighborhood. What makes this documentary different is that there isn’t a voice-over, only a day and time stamp. We see this sad story play out, knowing that something bad is going to happen, and there isn’t anything that can be done to stop it. It’s a harrowing watch that builds the tension as tempers rise on each call. Unlike the Cop episodes that we all watched on Saturday night, which tended to make instant heroes out of every cop they profiled, in this documentary, the police aren’t vindicated, nor are they at fault. It’s up to you, the viewer, to decide if the incident that happened was justified, brought on by a law, or if it was a criminal act. This is a film that will stick with you for a long time, and some images will haunt me. The Perfect Neighbor is a brilliant piece of filmmaking that is terrifying, moving, and brings about feelings of both anger and frustration. It is a powerful film that will inspire and infuriate.  My Rating: Full Price    The Perfect Neighbor Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest:  Ballad of a Small Player  R   Ballad of a Small Player tells the story of a high-stakes gambler. Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell), whose past and his debts are starting to catch up with him. His only hope is to hit it big, but his luck and his time are running out. Colin Farrell gives a tour de force performance of a man who is on a losing streak but is convinced that all he needs is one good hand to change that. Unfortunately, he plays a game, Baccarat, that is almost solely based on luck, and it seems Lord Doyle is all out of it. Set in the high-stakes gambling world of Macau, Lord Doyle is a man who is always running a con but is running out of time. No matter how good a face he puts on to the world, we see he is quickly descending into a madness that he may never recover from. I did not enjoy this film, with its endless time at the gaming tables, and a film that tends to let Colin go on and on between a drunk and a suave player who is always looking for someone to help him play for another day. I will say that the film does take a turn at the end that makes some of the endless plot holes seem a bit more pleasing. But in the end, Ballad of a Small Player is a losing hand, and the management has asked us to leave.  My Rating: Cable   Ballad of a Small Player Website    Now in select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, October 29, 2025.

Indiefest:  It Was Just an Accident  (2025)  PG-13   It Was Just an Accident is about Eghbal (Ebrahim Azizi), who, after hitting a dog by accident with his car, encounters a man from his past, a past that quickly catches up with him. It Was Just an Accident is one of the best films of the year, and if politics doesn’t get in the way, it should be nominated for all the awards. The film is from Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi and deals with the aftermath of a group of friends who all met while being imprisoned by a brutal government. Panahi knows the subject matter well, having been thrown in jail charged with propaganda against the Iranian government. I won’t give away too much about this film, which is part thriller, part mystery, and has a bit of surprising comedy. It’s a film about justice, revenge, and how people’s lives are drastically changed by a system that continually puts its foot on the necks of those who even mildly resist. It Was Just an Accident is a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end and is one of those films you will continue to talk about for months. This is a movie from a filmmaker who is at the top of his game and knows how to push every button to create a film that will hit you to your core.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  It Was Just an Accident Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View: Re-Election  (2025)  PG-13  Re-Election is about Jimmy (Adam Saunders), a 42-year-old who has never gotten over losing the high school election for class president. Jimmy re-enrolls in high school to run for class president again, and his primary opponent might be his own ego. Re-Election is one of those films with its heart in the right place, but it doesn’t have a clue how to deliver its message. The biggest problem with the film is that we don’t like Jimmy. He is fixated on how he lost his high school election and is willing to throw anyone under the school bus to win this election. The film has more holes in the plot than a full five-ring binder full of paper, and though I enjoyed a few of the performances, including Bex Taylor-Klaus as a gender neutral advocate, who becomes Jimmy’s campaign manager, trying to guide Jimmy through today’s high school politics. Re-Election is a one-joke film that never delivers, much like the politicians that Jimmy wants to be like.  My Rating: Cable  Re-Election Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Familyfaire:  Grow (2025)  PG  Grow takes place in the Pumpkin Capital of the World, where a farmer named Dinah (Golda Rosheuvel) has taken in her niece, Charlie (Priya-Rose Brookwell). As the town prepares for its annual pumpkin-growing contest, Dinah soon realizes that her niece has a knack for connecting to plants and that Charlie could be the link to finally winning the competition. Grow is a charming family film about a girl who has a unique talent for communicating with plants. Charlie not only helps a pumpkin grow but also heals the heartbroken farmer Dinah, who is on the verge of losing her family farm before Charlie arrives. Priya-Rose Brookwell is a joy to watch as Charlie. Although the storyline is simple, the entire family will enjoy Charlie's antics as she works her magic.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Grow Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:   Butter (2012) R  Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner) is married to Bob (Ty Burrell), the 15-time winner of the Iowa State Fair Butter Sculpting competition. Bob is forced to retire, so Laura decides to enter the competition. Little does she know that Destiny (Yara Shahidi), a ten-year-old girl, has also entered. Laura will do everything she can to win the contest, even if it means cheating and playing dirty tricks. Butter is a funny film that has a great deal of heart. I especially liked Olivia Wilde’s performance as the stripper, Brooke, who, after meeting Bob, is convinced that he is now her man. Garner is good as the determined Laura, and Yara Shahidi is perfect as the child who has been shipped from one foster family to another, hoping that her long-lost mother will eventually show up. The large cast also includes Hugh Jackman, Alicia Silverstone, Rob Corddry, and Phyllis Smith. Be sure to stick around after the first end credits; there are several hilarious outtakes.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Butter Info   Available on most streaming platforms 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Black Phone 2: Super 8 Specialist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Frankenstein (2025) R In Frankenstein, a brilliant scientist, Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), brings a creature (Jacob Elordi) to life as part of a horrific experiment. The creation that brought life to the world will ultimately lead to the downfall of both the creator and the creature. One of the most anticipated films leading up to the end of the year critic voting and Oscars, this film is written and directed by Academy Award-winning horror fan Guillermo del Toro.  Frankenstein Website  In select theaters on October 24, 2025, and on Netflix on November 7, 2025.

Until Next Time!

Tron: Ares

My View: Tron: Ares  (2025)  PG-13 Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated program named Ares (Jared Leto), who has been sent from the digital world into our real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. The first film in the series, 1982’s Tron, was an animation wonder, using computer animation combined with live action to create a mind-blowing (at the time) theater experience. Unfortunately, the plot was weak and didn’t make much sense. But the visuals made it a minor hit. It’s been 15 years since the second film in the series, Tron: Legacy, and this film takes place after those events. An evil CEO named Julian (Evan Peters) has developed the Tron technology so that computer programs can come to life, but only for 29 minutes. A program named Ares is sent out into the world, and guess what, he wants to stay. He teams up with the CEO of Julian’s rival company (Greta Lee), and this leads to a whole lot of explosions, chases, and deaths. Fans of the first two films or the video games will likely enjoy this new installment. For others, the impressive action sequences may be the only draw, but true to the Tron legacy, the plot quickly falls apart within the first five minutes. The film drags on for too long, running for two hours, and the Nine Inch Nails soundtrack is overwhelming and intrusive. Tron: Ares is best experienced on a big screen; if you plan to watch it at home, you might find yourself folding a lot of clothes.  My Rating: Cable   Tron: Ares Website   In theaters nationwide, including IMAX

My View:  Kiss of the Spider Woman  (2025)  R Kiss of the Spider Woman is the story of Valentin (Diego Luna), who has been put into prison as a threat to the current government. His new cellmate is Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two bond as Molina retells the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez). I am a big musical fan (having been in some local high school productions), so I was looking forward to seeing what the film and Jennifer Lopez could do to capture the old classic Hollywood musical look and feel. Lopez gives an inspired performance as a classic old-school Hollywood musical song and dance performer. This isn’t your typical Lopez song/dance act from her concerts and music videos. Instead, these are set pieces that would be right at home in a 50s musical film. Tonatiuh holds his own with Lopez, putting himself into the role of playing opposite Lopez’s character in the retelling of the Hollywood musical. Tonatiuh has an incredible voice, and the film works when in the dance numbers. The film’s weak point is the character Valentin and Diego Luna’s performance, particularly during the musical numbers. Luna looks and sounds uncomfortable in the numbers, and I had trouble buying the love story between Valentin and Molina. I think this film worked better on the Broadway stage, where Chita Rivera could captivate an audience with her style and charisma. Lopez has both, but can’t save the scenes where she isn’t present, and that’s a lot. My Rating: Cable Kiss of the Spider Woman Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  A House of Dynamite  (2025)  R  In A House of Dynamite, a foreign power has launched a nuclear missile aimed at the U.S. mainland, and government officials have just minutes to make decisions that will have lasting consequences for America and the rest of the world. Any time you make a movie about nuclear warheads heading anywhere, the stakes are high. As it is with A House of Dynamite, a film filled with tension and nail-biting scenes, it somehow didn’t hit the mark for me. It’s not the performances; Rebecca Ferguson and Idris Elba stand out in a huge ensemble cast. It’s not the subject matter, as it seems now more relevant than ever, with some of America’s enemies either having nuclear weapons or being very close to it. I think it was the format of this film. We spend the same 20 or so minutes from the viewpoints of different people in the White House, observing the decisions and possible mistakes made, and gaining insight into why they reacted the way they did during this stress-filled time. The film just never gelled for me as I never connected to it, especially with the retelling of the same time period. A House of Dynamite is a film that will stick with me for a while, but only because I can’t quit figuring out why I didn’t like it more. My Rating: Bargain Matinee A House of Dynamite Website  Now in select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, October 24, 2025.

My View:  Roofman  (2025)  R Roofman follows the exploits of Jeffery Manchester (Channing Tatum), a criminal known for breaking into stores through their roofs, earning his nickname, Roofman. After escaping from prison, Jeffery hides out in a Toys ‘R’ Us store, remaining undetected for several months. However, when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom who works for the store, his life in the free world could come to an end. I enjoyed this likable film with two winning performances from Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst. Channing gives Jeffery the Roofman Manchester an air of nice guy vibes while also being a bit of an idiot. Jeffery is a nice guy robber (though when confronted, he can become violent) who does things like give up his coat when he is locking a manager into a freezer. Jeffery needs a place to hide after escaping from prison, and he finds a Toys ’R’ Us store that is the perfect hideout. The problem is that he is a good guy robbing businesses, which he is good at, but only for a short time. His kindness allows him to meet Leigh at a church, where they quickly start a relationship. Roofman is a fun, somewhat romantic film about a relationship destined to crash and burn, but not before a lot of funny stuff happens. I thoroughly enjoyed Kirsten Dunst’s performance as a single mom of two who had given up on romance until a handsome guy crashed into her world. This film is based on a true story, and be sure to stay through the credits to see actual interviews with all the people who had interactions with the Roofman. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Roofman Website Now playing in theaters

My View: Predators  (2025)  Predators is a documentary that explores the controversial NBC series “To Catch a Predator,” which used multiple camera sting operations to catch child predators. The TV series was a huge ratings success until it was abruptly cancelled after the suicide of one of the men it profiled. “Understanding is not the goal of the show” is a quote from this thought-provoking documentary that sums up what the show was about. One problem is that while no longer on NBC, it continues in many forms, most with little or no input from law enforcement. The film is in three sections. The first section discusses the NBC show itself, which aired from 2004 to 2007 and was a massive hit for a while. In fact, the documentary highlights how integral the show was to the culture by showing clips of Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, and John Stewart making jokes or skits about it. The second part is about the ‘actors’ in their early twenties who posed as kids to ‘catch the predators.’ The third part discusses To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen, how he continues to do this type of show, and how it has destroyed lives that may never recover. This documentary asks a lot of questions, some of which are incredibly complicated. As for why the filmmaker wanted to make this film, the answer is revealed about an hour in. Predators shows some compassion and even hesitation towards the people that are on the screen. And that’s something that the original show never did.   My Rating: Full Price Predators Website  Now playing in select theaters

My View: John Candy: I Like Me  (2025)  PG-13  John Candy: I Like Me is a documentary about the beloved actor who starred in the TV series SCTV and in films that delighted audiences. I was a big fan of John Candy. I loved him on SCTV, and some of my favorite movies of his are Splash, where he stole the movie from Tom Hanks; Uncle Buck, which was probably his best role; and a little-seen movie called Only the Lonely, notable for his scenes with Ally Sheedy that felt real and charming. Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, John Candy: I Like Me is a touching and insightful documentary about this comedy legend, who was not only immensely talented but also a genuinely nice person who loved people and cherished his wife and family. The film features some excellent interviews with Candy, and what resonated with me was how kind he was even to interviewers who weren’t nice to him. As you would expect, all his SCTV buddies are interviewed, along with Bill Murray, Tom Hanks, and Steve Martin. We see how much they loved and respected the man, but also how much fun they had working with him. I learned a lot about his early years, especially his early SCTV days, and I thoroughly enjoyed going down memory lane with a man who was loved not only for his talent but also for his character. They say, ‘Never meet your heroes; they’ll surely disappoint,’ but man, I wish I had met John Candy. I have a feeling he would have lived up to all my expectations; I know this documentary did.  My Rating: Full Price  John Candy: I Like Me Website  Now playing on Amazon Prime

Forgotten Film: Streets of Fire  (1984) PG  A rock star (Diane Lane) is kidnapped by an outlaw biker gang led by a bad guy named Shaddock (Willem Dafoe). A mercenary named Cody (Michael Pere) and his sidekick, McCoy (Amy Madigan), are hired to bring her back. Directed by Walter Hill (The Warriors, Southern Comfort, 48 Hrs.), this film is a weird mix of 1950s and 1980s cultures, featuring a soundtrack that is a wonder to listen to. While not as good as some of Hill’s other films, it’s still a fun ride, and Amy Madigan as a tough-nosed fighter who smokes cigars and loves to kill bikers is a blast to watch. Even if you just watch the first five minutes of this film, with Lane singing her heart out, you will have fun with this one.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Streets of Fire Info Available to rent/buy on Amazon

Weird Credits: From the credits of Roofman: Products Used With Permission: Tickle Me Elmo

Coming Soon to A Screen Near You:  Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere  (2025) PG-13  Just when Bruce Springsteen is climbing into the stratosphere of rock stardom, he decides to craft and record an album in 1982 called Nebraska that caused him to reconcile his stardom with the ghosts of the past. Jeremy Allen White stars as Bruce Springsteen and is considered one of the favorites to be nominated for an Oscar. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere Website The film will be in theaters nationwide on Friday, October 24, 2025. 

Until Next Time!