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!